Great minds think alike?

[fpb]

Certainly some minds do, although I am not sure whether I would characterize them as great. In order not to raise national taxes, Messrs. Blair and Brown have stealthily caused local taxes (based on property value) to grow by as much as 300%. And now news comes from Italy that Mr.Berlusconi and his unlovely government, who claim to be cutting national taxes, have had the bright idea of reforming the area categories that underlie the ICI (Town Tax on Real Estate, Imposta Comunale sugli Immobili), which is going to result in increases of up to 400% in local tax. What is really hilarious is that both groups probably imagined this to be a wizard wheeze that nobody would see through.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

1. Local taxes are set by local government, i.e. councils not by central government (i.e. Tony Blair).

2. Local councils were actually placed under a cap by the Local Government Minister, Nick Raynford at the beginning of this year, by which they are not to raise council tax.

3. The reason for increases in local taxation in Britain is to fund PFI schemes (i.e. schemes by which communities are provided with better streetlights, social housing, roads and schools). The process was instigated by the Tories in 1992. Blair merely inherited it.

4. People want local infrastructure.

5. People do not want increased income tax levels.

6. Making local councils responsible for their own investment theoretically gives them the opportunity to develop infrastructure according to the specific means of their community. It has resulted in new schools being created faster than under the central government regime.

7. If you don't like increased local taxes, then how do you propose that infrastructure is funded?