From: "Nebulous" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: Why is council tax so high?
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2004 09:33:02 +0100


"Adrian Boliston"  wrote in message
news:2r0m1cF14ufl3U1@uni-berlin.de...
> "Peter Crosland"  wrote in message
> news:2r0gleF14nnaiU1@uni-berlin.de...
>
> > Take a look at the leaflet that came with the demand. You will see a
> > breakdown of the various items that are far more than those you quote.
> > Education is the biggest by far.
>
> I've always thought it unfair that I should pay a huge sum each month to
> eductate other people's brats when this has nothing to do with being a
> property occupier.
>
> Paying for bin removal, police, fire, local library, local road
maintanance,
> parks maintainace I'm fine with as these are services which can be used by
> local residents, but education is not in any way specific to *all* local
> residents - ie only those who have a collection of little brats.
>
> I realise they have got to be educated, but this should surely be paid
from
> general taxation rather than by what is effectively a property tax.
>
>
The property taxes only pay a relatively small proportion of the costs of
council services. Most of them are paid for by grants from central
government- or effectively from general taxation as you call it.

This is also why relatively small increases in overall council spending have
a much bigger impact on council tax. It is a gearing effect.  This is also
why people have become so dissatisfied with council tax- above inflation
rises on a regular basis.

Neb