Do you want less tax or more spend? Poll Results/Discussion

sinizterguy

Abida wrote: »

we don't all think about things we take for granted - like motorways - street lights - public loo's - pavements - parks - homeless families - victims of redundancies - victims of child abuse - selfish people speeding and causing accidents to innocent bystanders so the police and ambulance have to clean up the mess - DIY'er - natural disasters like the floods (possibly caused by manmade CO2 emmisions) require emergency support - etc.

The road tax and fuel tax do fine for motorways
Motorists pay through the nose every time they are caught speeding
Council tax and such like will pay for streetlights in areas under the council
I am not interested in funding the NHS as much - I dont use it, never will, except in emergencies
DIY'ers can fix it themselves as the name suggests


And its only a 20% cut, so the rest of the stuff can go on as normal.

Bloody socialists.

I wouldnt vote for the 20% cut if the government could deliver proper services like its supposed to, and not some half-arsed, half-though out post code lottery.

gazoke

:rotfl: Please reduce Taxes in the UK or the only people who are going to remain here will all be on benefits. Most of the people with half a brain are looking to emigrate. Never thought the UK would end up more state dependent than the USSR ever was. The UK is dieing on it's feet, we are either grossley over taxed or benefit dependent and most opt for the latter, who can blame them it's this bloody Government (What a joke) Spain here I come.
:money: :beer:

envirobabe

caroline1973lefty wrote: »

You forget that 'no man is an island' (John Donne). You might be able to afford private healthcare if you catch TB, for example, but wouldn't you prefer not to catch it in the first place because there was a proper public health service in place which made sure this disease didn't first take hold amongst the poor? (This was the main reason the Victorians started providing health care for the poor in the first place).

Of what if you're mugged by a kid who's a complete lost cause to society, never been to school cos his or her parents can't afford to send them? Not only would there be no police to try and catch them, but no A&E services at hospital to go to, either - even if you could afford to pay! The history of the last 10 years or so has shown clearly that the private sector is only interested in taking over the plum bits of our public sector - ie the bits you can turn a profit from, like hip replacements and other elective surgery, not thing like A&E. And even here, they only turn a profit by ripping off the tax payer - privatisation often ends up costing us more, not less - which is why the government has consistently refused demands to hold a public enquiry into whether the Private Finance Initiative / Public Private Partnership provides value for money for the taxpayer. For example, the recently collapsed metronet (private tube maintenance firm made up of Balfour Beatty and the privatised utility companies) was costing a £1billion a year whereas it was estimated to run it in house would have cost about half that. A shockingly large chunk of money is wasted on lawyers and management consultants who draw up the often incomprehensible privatisation contracts, too.

I'd rather pay my taxes and have the government provide proper, publicly owned, publicly accountable services. In fact there is some evidence we'd all be happier (even you, D Adams!) if this were the case. For an interesting read about why lower tax societies are less happy than higher tax ones, read 'Happiness' by Richard Layard.

Proud of my user name!

Must be tongue in cheek. Even stalinists allow a greater level of personal freedom. The state does not know best and is not the best or most efficient provider of all services. I had foolishly assumed everyone had learned this lesson from recent history, but this one clearly slipped through the net. Just look 22 miles across the channel at a marvellous weld of capitalism and the state, where the health service is state run and welcomes input from private medicine to the benefit of all, providing the best health care in the EU. The UK on the other hand 'invests' much more to provide a health service that would shame many third world countries.

Jon_Pols

I see though that plenty of other people have voted for higher taxes.

Higher taxes can be enlightened long-term self-interest. If you look at most profiles of the UK economy, two key weaknesses cited as holding us back are our antiquated transport system and the appalling failures of our education system (with the possible exception of our universities). When you look at regional economies, a key reported threat to the Greater Manchester region (where I happen to live) is the level of crime and the transport system. The NHS is in serious trouble – I wouldn’t even know how to start sorting it out. But having a NHS appears to be a relatively efficient way to go when you look at average of health spending as a percentage of GDP across OECD countries.

So if someone credible was prepared to sort it all out I might be willing to put my hand in my pocket. But if not higher taxes is throwing good money after bad.

Deals_2

as 20% as was not really sure waht the percentage represented in cut back that is why i said something like 2% so did not seem so mean but now read the results think would agree with the others to a higher tax cut. i have no sympathy for most of the people in power. how can they say they represent us and yet seem to have one rule for them and another for the others?
I did a trip to Andorra not that long ago and if i remember correctly they only pay one tax which is for bins. they are a very wealthy country with no taxes as some of you might know or not. i spoke to some of the people there and i said that it would need a bit of a facelift as not always the quaintest looking towns even though there is supposedly money and they say that is why they are introducing a tax in - cannot remember what (but they are really not heavily taxed). maybe this is the way forward?

I also think that civil servants need incentives. i dont know if have been unlucky lately but i have had some people at our local council who take decisions but not contacted the local communities - ie. people like us - on recycling options etc and really unhelpful and did not understand or interested in what was proposing which would also save money for the council and of course the community. they have their orders (as they seemed to say) and that is how they were doing things. Do these people not need to think too. I am sure that this is not representative of everyone but it is worrying to think that some of these people are in high positions!!!
anyway i could go on....!

Abida_2

sinizterguy wrote: »

The road tax and fuel tax do fine for motorways
Motorists pay through the nose every time they are caught speeding
Council tax and such like will pay for streetlights in areas under the council
I am not interested in funding the NHS as much - I dont use it, never will, except in emergencies
DIY'ers can fix it themselves as the name suggests


And its only a 20% cut, so the rest of the stuff can go on as normal.

Bloody socialists.

I wouldnt vote for the 20% cut if the government could deliver proper services like its supposed to, and not some half-arsed, half-though out post code lottery.

no - not a socialist - a realist! Ok - so we cut our taxes and then what ?! We end up in a society whereby the government still employ nimrods that take backhanders from companies to build motorways - change roads - etc. to suit their company's 'needs' ! We also, like the states , have slum areas and maybe even like Argentina, have enclosed areas just for the rich - that are guarded night and day - imprisoning the rich, keeping out the poor.

I agree the government are rubbish at spending the money wisely - but that's because they employ private contractors to do jobs! They employ people with a GCSE pass in Maths and English (a pass is a grade E!) to do the work.

A bloke I know earns £70 from the local council for taking a child to and from school - that's £140 a day - that's for 200 days !!! Now that's just one child - the local council employ many drivers for similar jobs!!! BAD SPENDING! What about buying a school bus?

The local trams and trains are packed brimful of people going to work - we need congestion charges to stop cars filling up the roads every morning - and spend some real money on public transport like other European countries - or indeed, like London!

We could do with sacking a ton load of staff employed by local councils that do naff all. I know someone employed by the NHS - who used to have her meetings in the Shopping Malls - expenses covered by NHS!!!! Ridiculous!

I was paid by local council for my summer break (after A levels) and we had to clock in to work. A girl used to sit at her desk on the phone for 2 hours chatting to another civil servant at the end of each day - no one batted an eye lid - but because they all messed about - there were 20 in the office - I was the only one working - it was shameful!


I don't doubt that the civil service is all balls up ! but I truly believe that we should unite and be one nation and take care of our own and we ought to be proud that we are one country that does it quite succesfully - I stand by having to pay taxes!!!

Simon_Barron

Do you mean tax up by 20 percentage points (i.e. from 20% to 40%) or the total tax bill to increase by 20% (i.e. lower rate increases from 20% to 24%)?

Tojo_Ralph

E.
Health.... If I've needed NHS treatment I've got it, plus there's BUPA if I need it.
Education.... Local school is one of best in Scotland, so that's not an issue.
Policing.... No issues locally that I'm aware of, so no real need as I see it.
Transport.... No complaints from those in my house who use it and I ain't giving up my car.

sinizterguy

Abida wrote: »

no - not a socialist - a realist! Ok - so we cut our taxes and then what ?! We end up in a society whereby the government still employ nimrods that take backhanders from companies to build motorways - change roads - etc. to suit their company's 'needs' ! We also, like the states , have slum areas and maybe even like Argentina, have enclosed areas just for the rich - that are guarded night and day - imprisoning the rich, keeping out the poor.

I agree the government are rubbish at spending the money wisely - but that's because they employ private contractors to do jobs! They employ people with a GCSE pass in Maths and English (a pass is a grade E!) to do the work.

A bloke I know earns £70 from the local council for taking a child to and from school - that's £140 a day - that's for 200 days !!! Now that's just one child - the local council employ many drivers for similar jobs!!! BAD SPENDING! What about buying a school bus?

The local trams and trains are packed brimful of people going to work - we need congestion charges to stop cars filling up the roads every morning - and spend some real money on public transport like other European countries - or indeed, like London!

We could do with sacking a ton load of staff employed by local councils that do naff all. I know someone employed by the NHS - who used to have her meetings in the Shopping Malls - expenses covered by NHS!!!! Ridiculous!

I was paid by local council for my summer break (after A levels) and we had to clock in to work. A girl used to sit at her desk on the phone for 2 hours chatting to another civil servant at the end of each day - no one batted an eye lid - but because they all messed about - there were 20 in the office - I was the only one working - it was shameful!


I don't doubt that the civil service is all balls up ! but I truly believe that we should unite and be one nation and take care of our own and we ought to be proud that we are one country that does it quite succesfully - I stand by having to pay taxes!!!

And I want to take care of my family and myself first before going paying for the crap you have listed. I had said elsewhere, 33% tax - while steep would be something I would accept.

I find paying 40% for almost nothing hard to stomach. I am paying that now, but I would certainly like it to be less. I have no faith in the governments ability to take care of me in my retirement years. That 7% difference in tax could make a significant difference in that regard.

I still want the cut. If they cant spend it with some regard to getting their moneys worth, they dont deserve to spend it in the first place.

teddyco

Cut taxes by 20%! Labour out, Conservatives IN!

Biggest complaint: Transport!

Idea: Combine all the Trains, Buses and London Tube under one public umbrella and spend more money upgrading the lines to high speed. Lower ticket prices and give people a real incentive to take public trans.

One ticket gets you a train ride, bus ride, or subway ride all day if you like.

Trains are on time, clean, and plenty of room to sit down.