Monday

Reading List 13/07/09

Tax Research UK » Tax injustice in the UK
By Richard Murphy
Council tax is blatantly regressive. So is VAT, as overall are indirect
taxes as a whole. Is it any surprise that the Big 4 firms, the Institute
for Fiscal Studies and other big business lobbying groups are so keen on
them? ...
<http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2009/07/30/tax-injustice-in-the-uk/>
Tax Research UK
<http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/>

Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg embarrasses Conservative Council (again)
By Hadleigh Roberts
Hinchcliffe was at the time the politically-restricted Tory group
researcher on B&NES (as the Private Eye article explains) – this means
banana skin-prone JRM has benefited from a Council officer, paid by the
council tax payer to ...
<http://hadleigh.eu/2009/07/tory-jacob-rees-mogg-embarrasses-conservative-council-again/>
Hadleigh Roberts

Council tax rises to rescue local government pension schemes?
FT.com Blogs
by Jim Pickard The man who runs the Local Government Pension SCheme has
warned that public sector pensions need radical reform to meet critics who
believe ...
<http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2009/07/council-tax-rises-to-rescue-local-government-pension-schemes/>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2009/07/council-tax-rises-to-rescue-local-government-pension-schemes/&hl=en>

Tackle pensioner poverty, urge MPs
Public Finance
Local authorities could also take action to increase the take-up of housing
and council tax benefit, the report said. The committee said it was ...
<http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2009/07/tackle-pensioner-poverty-urge-mps/>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2009/07/tackle-pensioner-poverty-urge-mps/&hl=en>

Mayor Peyton Vetoes City Council Tax Vote
First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Mayor John Peyton has fired back in the battle to
balance the city budget. The Mayor vetoed City Council's amendment to keep
the millage ...
<http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=142486&catid=3>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx%3Fstoryid%3D142486%26catid%3D3&hl=en>

Time to scrap such an unaffordable tax
Express & Echo
This was the second such meeting and it became clear that the one cost that
most members found abhorrent and least affordable was council tax. ...
<http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/features/Time-scrap-unaffordable-tax/article-1204099-detail/article.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/features/Time-scrap-unaffordable-tax/article-1204099-detail/article.html&hl=en>

Peyton vetoes Council's tax rate cap
Bizjournals.com
Mayor John Peyton has vetoed the bill passed by City Council Tuesday night
that would have put a ceiling on the tax rate of 8.48 mills. ...
<http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/07/27/daily30.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/07/27/daily30.html&hl=en>

Middle class homeowners to be hit by council tax hikes
Easier (press release)
Government plans revealed this week to overhaul the council tax system
after the election will send a chill down the spines of middle class
homeowners, ...
<http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/General/article-262394.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/General/article-262394.html&hl=en>

Mayor Vetoes Council's Tax Bill
News4Jax.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The morning after City Council voted down a proposal
to increase the property tax rate by passing a resolution keeping the
current ...
<http://www.news4jax.com/news/20213291/detail.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.news4jax.com/news/20213291/detail.html&hl=en>

Cuts or rises: toxic claim 'will hit council tax payers'
Independent
He said: "If we were to settle in one go then it would cost us about a 150
per cent rise in council tax, which is unacceptable, cuts of the level
which is ...
<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cuts-or-rises-toxic-claim-will-hit-council-tax-payers-1764382.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cuts-or-rises-toxic-claim-will-hit-council-tax-payers-1764382.html&hl=en>
Council tax rises to rescue local government pension schemes?
FT.com Blogs
by Jim Pickard The man who runs the Local Government Pension SCheme has
warned that public sector pensions need radical reform to meet critics who
believe ...
<http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2009/07/council-tax-rises-to-rescue-local-government-pension-schemes/>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://blogs.ft.com/westminster/2009/07/council-tax-rises-to-rescue-local-government-pension-schemes/&hl=en>

Tackle pensioner poverty, urge MPs
Public Finance
Local authorities could also take action to increase the take-up of housing
and council tax benefit, the report said. The committee said it was ...
<http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2009/07/tackle-pensioner-poverty-urge-mps/>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2009/07/tackle-pensioner-poverty-urge-mps/&hl=en>

Mayor Peyton Vetoes City Council Tax Vote
First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Mayor John Peyton has fired back in the battle to
balance the city budget. The Mayor vetoed City Council's amendment to keep
the millage ...
<http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=142486&catid=3>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx%3Fstoryid%3D142486%26catid%3D3&hl=en>

Time to scrap such an unaffordable tax
Express & Echo
This was the second such meeting and it became clear that the one cost that
most members found abhorrent and least affordable was council tax. ...
<http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/features/Time-scrap-unaffordable-tax/article-1204099-detail/article.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/features/Time-scrap-unaffordable-tax/article-1204099-detail/article.html&hl=en>

Peyton vetoes Council's tax rate cap
Bizjournals.com
Mayor John Peyton has vetoed the bill passed by City Council Tuesday night
that would have put a ceiling on the tax rate of 8.48 mills. ...
<http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/07/27/daily30.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/07/27/daily30.html&hl=en>

Middle class homeowners to be hit by council tax hikes
Easier (press release)
Government plans revealed this week to overhaul the council tax system
after the election will send a chill down the spines of middle class
homeowners, ...
<http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/General/article-262394.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.easier.com/view/UK_Property_News/General/article-262394.html&hl=en>

Mayor Vetoes Council's Tax Bill
News4Jax.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The morning after City Council voted down a proposal
to increase the property tax rate by passing a resolution keeping the
current ...
<http://www.news4jax.com/news/20213291/detail.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.news4jax.com/news/20213291/detail.html&hl=en>

Cuts or rises: toxic claim 'will hit council tax payers'
Independent
He said: "If we were to settle in one go then it would cost us about a 150
per cent rise in council tax, which is unacceptable, cuts of the level
which is ...
<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cuts-or-rises-toxic-claim-will-hit-council-tax-payers-1764382.html>
See all stories on this topic:
<http://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cuts-or-rises-toxic-claim-will-hit-council-tax-payers-1764382.html&hl=en>

Sunday

Reading List 12/07/09

Low-carbon strategy will raise household energy bills by £200 a year
Council tax banding ... a suitable case for DIY
guardian.co.uk - UK
It claims to be able to do a search on local properties and identify
whether homeowners might be entitled to council tax rebates, sending a
report within 48 ...
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jul/11/council-tax-overcharge>
See all stories on this topic:

Benefits cheat made £17000 false claims - Blackpool Today
Between June 2005 and July last year she illegally claimed £17364 in
income support, housing and council tax benefits. John McLaren, defending,
said his client had no previous convictions. Cheetham's husband had not
lived at the family ...
<http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/Benefits-cheat-made-17000-false.5450004.jp>
Blackpool Today - News
<http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/NewsFront.aspx?SectionID=62>

…..Pikeys and Pigs. « And there was me thinking…..
By mummylonglegs
Pikeys don't have to pay things like council tax, etc and if they live in a
really pro-active area they will even recieve the odd party that they will
be paid £60 to attend. Pikeys can sleep safe at night knowing that local
councils are ...
<http://andtherewasmethinking.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/pikeys-and-pigs/>
And there was me thinking.....
<http://andtherewasmethinking.wordpress.com/]

Council Tax Buchanan Clark and Wells Advice needed The Consumer Forums
Hi everyone, I'm new here and looking for some advice. Recently I went to
the council tax office in Glasgow to pay money that was owed to them.
<http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/welcome-consumer-forums/208921-council-tax-buchanan-clark.html>


The source of ability-to-pay pay theory

Taxation according to ability to pay means, therefore, taxation with the minimum of economic loss to the community as a whole. Hugh Dalton:
Principles of Public Finance, 1923 pp126.