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City 'trying to avoid' tax rise

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Published Date: 24 April 2009
CITY leader Jenny Dawe has said the council is doing everything it can to avoid a big rise in council tax next year.
In her monthly leader's report, she said: "

The council is exploring every avenue it can to make sure the budget can be balanced whilst avoiding large council tax increases."


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1

me150,

24/04/2009 11:55:30
If a council tax rise is really needed to continue or improve the standard of service we get then it has to happen.
2

It's Leith for me!,

24/04/2009 11:56:50
all they've got to do is stop throwing huge sums away on politically motivated gimmicks and pet projects, and the council tax could be halved!
3

Liz,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 12:10:41
#1
If I thought for a moment that paying a bit more would improve the standards and the services then I would have no complaints. As it stands I think we should all be in a line for a hefty reduction.
4

Cod,

24/04/2009 12:13:39
Postman Pat, Postman Pat, Postman Pat and his black and white giro.
5

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 12:18:24
This City 'trying to avoid' tax rise?

What a joke, we can all be sure that these pirates are only waiting for the present Council Tax freeze to end before they financially rape the people of Edinburgh.
6

alfonsa pedrosa,

embra 24/04/2009 12:21:00
Its going to happen anyway so just do it, you obviously need the money Jenny.
7

PaulB,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 12:39:33
Council Tax cannot be frozen forever, nice as that would be. Although if deflation continues, maybe there could be a reduction?
8

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 12:48:12
The financing of Local Authorities needs to be radically changed.

Soemthing like 80 - 85% of LA finance comes from the Treasury, why not it all?

LAs should be given an annual budget and central government should be influencing and exerting more control over their behaviour.

Let's face it, any rise in Edinburgh's CT will be to fund this damned tram 'project', end of story.

9

Jams,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 12:58:10
Aye - you can depend on them to be 'Liberal' when spending other peoples money.

Agree with #3 - the service is dire and we deserve a refund not to have a tip added to the bill.
10

simonp,

eh11 24/04/2009 13:04:15
does she mean arise before the 2010/2011 tax year as bills have already gone out
11

Cod,

24/04/2009 13:48:35
Surrealist Pat. And his black and white deckchair.
12

tomias,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 13:56:06
Market forces
13

It's Leith for me!,

24/04/2009 13:57:59
#8 Peter, indeed, all statuary services should be funded direct from central taxation. the only thing council tax should cover is non statuary services - and it should be optional on whthere you have to pay or not/let people vote on what they want the money spent on - wonder how many would vote for trams, councillors flash desks, new robes, junkets to abu dubai etc?
14

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 16:19:39
#13 It's Leith for me

Thanks for your support.

I think we can agree that it would be nice to see a Government with the strength of character and sufficient moral fiber to confront LAs and to strip them of all their finance raising powers.

While local services have to paid for, I see no reason why income tax should not be raised and with everyone except perhaps the poorest paying into a central pot from which budgets are passed to LAs. As you said above, we would vote for them on how sensibly , or otherwise, they spent that money.

Many will howl "this would take away local accountability", well, I don't see much (if any) local accountability as things stand (the trams are a good example).

We cannot rely on the so-called 'people's party' - New Labour who will do nothing to control Councils across the UK and as a matter of note the Department run by John Prescott which was supposed to do this have capped absolutely no LAs since Labour came to power in '96, indeed CT has more than doubled in many areas.

One wonders what a Conservative government will do regarding CT as they seem to be the most likely to form the next government of the UK.

One thing is quite certain, I shall have a very hard job deciding who to vote for in the next local, Holyrood and UK elections as none of the mainline parties seem to have any real policies aimed at replacing/controlling Council Tax and Local Authorities.
15

PaulB,

Edinburgh 24/04/2009 17:18:48
I used to be disappointed / concerned, but I got myself a life.
16

JulesF,

Kirkliston 25/04/2009 10:47:20
Well the subsidised soup and sandwiches have to come from somewhere !
17

Peter - very disappointed/concerned,

Edinburgh 28/04/2009 10:50:23
#15 PaulB

"but I got myself a life."

Looks like it paul - perhaps you're one of those oddities who likes paying excessive Council Tax?


 

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