House prices down 30-50%...why not rates?

A.L.D.A

Parisien wrote: »

Am afraid guys, Stormont is only reflective of the population who voted them in there and a system agreed and maybe foisted onto the mandarins who decide how let the locals govern themselves..........

Its a not a great system.....but what else have we got or can aspire too?

They could still have power sharing (DUP-SF) and an opposition (SDLP-UUP-Alliance-Green & independents) . The current system is all too cosy. Let us have some proper scrutiny by people not tied into the government. It is time for change.

Parisien wrote: »

I don't think in a low wage economy with relatively poor standards and poor value for money we should be paying the rates we are!

I agree. Tax directly impacts on the ability of many businesses to employ.

warmhands.coldheart

highrisklowreturn wrote: »

It has been a failure because of its Catholic Minority. There. After 42 years someone had the cajones to say it.

Or lack of your fellow champagne socialists??????

seatzie

I was once on a consumer council panel for household bills oh a good 5 years ago, we had a meeting with the rates people about this, and I said to one of the rates girls, what happens if house prices drop sharply as predicted, you guys won't want to lose your income, you'll just change your multiplyer won't you?

she thought for a second and then agreed, no matter what way house prices go even if they do a revalue and bring them back down, the rates people will not suddenly take a 50% hit in income

saverbuyer

seatzie wrote: »

I was once on a consumer council panel for household bills oh a good 5 years ago, we had a meeting with the rates people about this, and I said to one of the rates girls, what happens if house prices drop sharply as predicted, you guys won't want to lose your income, you'll just change your multiplyer won't you?

she thought for a second and then agreed, no matter what way house prices go even if they do a revalue and bring them back down, the rates people will not suddenly take a 50% hit in income

Well of course. There’s a total amount of rates to be collected. If yours house goes down 60% so will mine. We’ll still pay the same. The only way we will see lower rates is with efficiencies at council level. The problem is the council will probably use the money saved not to lower the public’s rates but to provide unneeded jobs for friends. You can never have to many community relation building diversity cross community workers.