Isitfair Campaign Press Release - 19 Jul 2004
Isitfair says scrap council tax

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ISITFAIR CAMPAIGN FOR THE REFORM OF COUNCIL TAX
For further press information, please contact: Christine Melsom on 01428-712680 or E-mail c@isitfair.co.uk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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SCRAP COUNCIL TAX, SAYS ISITFAIR CAMPAIGN LEADER

The Leader of the nationwide IsItFair Campaign for the Reform of Council Tax is angered by the latest Council Tax proposals.

Christine Melsom, IsItFair Campaign leader said "It is widely acknowledged that our present property-value based system of Council Tax is unfair, especially to low income households. The value of your house bears no relationship to your income. This is the reality for millions of people, yet the view of most politicians is that local services should continue to be financed by our regressive system of Council Tax."

The IsItFair Campaign maintains that these proposed changes are no more than tinkering with a grossly unfair system.

"The proposal to increase the number of bands will do nothing to address the fundamental flaw in the present system of Council Tax. It is based solely on the value of the property and is a regressive tax - the less income you have, the higher the percentage of your income you have to pay in Council Tax. The answer is not to tinker with the bands and push more and more people into the benefits system."

"The time has come for some common sense thinking and to give Council Tax payers a fair deal. The public will not be fooled into believing that these latest proposals will alleviate the unfair burden placed upon millions of low income households."

"We want the present system of Council Tax to be scrapped and replaced by a system of funding local services that takes account of the ability to pay, and thus spreads the burden of local taxation more fairly. The present system is grossly unfair - don't tinker with it, SCRAP IT!"

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For further press information, please contact: Christine Melsom on 01428-712680 or E-mail c@isitfair.co.uk

Issued by IsItFair Campaign, Headley, Hampshire GU35 8PJ

NOTES TO EDITOR

IsItFair's proposal "Local Authority Funding - A Fairer Tax Raising System" can be viewed and downloaded from www.isitfair.co.uk

IsItFair is a nationwide, non party-political campaign for the abolition of the existing property-value based system of Council Tax, and for its replacement by a fairer system based on individual ability to pay.

The campaign is for everyone unfairly affected by council tax, not just for pensioners and those on fixed incomes.

You can find more information about the IsItFair campaign at www.isitfair.co.uk