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

bazzaang

Cut taxes by 20%

This government and others have ploughed millions into everything but with no thought what to do with the money.
If they had to cut spending but increase efficiency i think that would be the better option

Cheers

Bazzaang

buckrogers

''''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.'''''''

i agree with that post,

our bus service 'chambers buses'
is a complete rip off, they have just put the prices up by 50p
so now a 5mile return journey is £4.80
how does the goverment think people can aford these prices when they charge what they like
some buses in town charge £2.70 then you can use any of there bus' es and travel as many times 'that day' for that price within a area of 20 miles
so until the goverment or councils stop these greedy firms i for one will be using my car

GiveItBack

Abida wrote: »

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!

but this is what putting up taxes will pay for. That's the problem. tax up spending up (which is what we;ve had for 10 years) levels of service stays the same or gets worse.

We need to lower tax to get the economy improving reward those of us who work, and stop chucking all of our money at the government.

Most people on this site know how to spend wisely. Shame the govt don't.
I want less tax and BETTER spend

nemo183

I find it really depressing that the majority of people in this poll feel a 20% tax cut would be best for the country. It's depressing because it shows that a large number of people are so ignorant of our system of taxation that they have no idea whatever of the consequences of such a change. Hardly any point in this "discussion" thread if it centres around people who are happy to make judgements without even bothering to research the subject. Hey, why not just stop paying tax at all? I'm sure many will be able to justify even that absurdity.

envirobabe

The point about large tax cuts is that power is moved from Local & Central Government to the individual. You then choose how to best spend your money. Most will be responsible and benefits will flow from from the change. However others will use their additional income in ways we don't approve of. But hey, that's the trouble with freedom, sometimes others do things we don't like.
Low tax economies work and provide an overall healthy society. However, those who want nanny to take all decisions and supply all their needs love countries like the UK. Cradle to grave is their battle cry.

sinizterguy

nemo183 wrote: »

I find it really depressing that the majority of people in this poll feel a 20% tax cut would be best for the country. It's depressing because it shows that a large number of people are so ignorant of our system of taxation that they have no idea whatever of the consequences of such a change. Hardly any point in this "discussion" thread if it centres around people who are happy to make judgements without even bothering to research the subject. Hey, why not just stop paying tax at all? I'm sure many will be able to justify even that absurdity.

I admit to not understanding the intricacies of the taxation system - but it should be that complicated in the first place.

I do understand one thing - I am paying through my nose and not seeing any benefits.

I am quite honestly not interested in feeding, clothing and sheltering people who have never worked, or not kept a job for more than a few days. I am also not interested in distributing free health care to people who just fly in when they want something major done. And assorted other stuff ...

So I'll stick by my vote for a tax cut. Not that its going to happen. The return of Christ is more likely.

sdooley

One of the problems in this country is not so much tax it is the return on tax for those who pay the most of it and the fact that so many people pay no real tax but are caught in a far more pernicious arrangement where earning more money results in an almost pound for pound withdrawl of benefits.

I think the government should introduce a 'cashback' scheme where taxes are slightly higher but everyone receives a modest sum - say £300 per month - in exchange for which they don't receive all the complicted tax allowances and benefits available. Then there is the motivation for the unemployed person to take two weeks work, even at minimum wage, safe in the knowledge it won't mess up their benefits from elsewhere - I think on average the poor would end up with higher incomes. As this sum is payable to all, even millionaires, everyone sees some benefit from government.

Sillychuckie

Cut tax by 10-20%.
As a high rate tax payer, I'd rather keep the saved money for myself.
As for NHS/Schooling/Transport/Policing... with the money I save, I could afford:

- Private medical cover (already pay for it anyway)
- Private tuition for the kids (no kids yet, but would pay for this)
- Private transport to where I need to get to (often paid for, since public transport is so bad anyway).
- Bodyguards

Of course, this won't help the lower classes much (the ones that make use of the services listed the most), and my opinion is bias.

Ideally, the wealthier people (who use the services mentioned the least) would pay the least tax for them, whilst the poorer people (who use them the most) would pay more for them, thus spreading further the rich/poor divide.
Income tax should be 40% for incomes under 20k, then the more you earn, the less tax you pay. Millionaires should pay no tax, as I can't imagine them sitting on the London Underground or sitting in an NHS waiting room.

Obviously that won't really work, but hey, thats why I'm not in charge.

Realistically... I think levels are good where they are right now. Just spending allocation is not.

ellou02

Blimey, what an eye opener to some fellow MSErs...

I love the post above about wanting the conservatives in as the poster thinks that transport companies should be under a public umbrella, not private, and charging what they want - who do you think deregulated and privatised most of the public transport in this country?

And all comments about not caring about the NHS as these people would go private - who do you think trains all the doctors, etc that BUPA and the like use? Without the NHS, BUPAs prices would have to include the huge cost of training (and in many cases the use of NHS facilities that private care rents).

But mostly, the idea that people are comfortable with the idea of cutting tax by 20% is very sad. Do people really care so little about the other people in this country? and the idea about all these scroungers on benefits living it up on the back of honest people's hard work is just laughable.

Mind you, when people are so paranoid and greedy, then maybe, just maybe, the Conservative party might have a chance at the next election...

teddyco

ellou02,

When Margaret Thatcher privatized most of the industries in Britain, it was done at a time when the UK was in real trouble, and things were sold off to relieve the tremendous burden of public services that was choking this country. You must put things into context rather than generalizing political party rhetoric.

I am not a neo-con or a tax raising liberal, but I currently see a need for a public transport system for several reasons.

How can our government ever attempt to spread house building across this country evenly without a unified, efficient high speed train system? If our transport system represented the arteries of England, and the trains and cars were the blood, we would be having a stroke right now.

Private train companies are not going to spend the money for high speed trains because it's too expensive. This level of funding can only be done through a concerted government effort via a combined public transport system.

Building more roads is not a solution. Just look at the resistance and anger that the government encountered when they first built all the Motorways across Britain; i.e. M3, M20 etc. People simply won't have it.

Ticket prices in London for both the underground and commuter rails are the most expensive in the world. Even more expensive than New York, Tokyo and Rome, and there is no excuse for it.