Tax or Cut?

[observer]

Some 52% of respondants to a poll seem to prefer cuts in public services to tax increases - however, when probed a little deeper as to exactly where the axe should fall, they suddenly dry up and start to detail what shoudn't be cut - such is the mind set of the voting public. There is no doubt, that huge waste exists in the public sector, with a whole raft of PC jobs being created by national and local Gov, but once the knife begins to be applied it tends to cut the good flesh as well as the bad - so where (if any) should the cuts be made. OR (and) is there scope for increased taxation that recognises that "we're all in it together" - all shoulders to the wheel - broadest shoulders baring the biggest burden etc etc?

[Bazj]

My tax cuts would be as follows:

 

NHS:

* plastic surgery for cosmetic cases.

*ANY health tourist to be shoved on a plane (at their expense) back to their own country.

 

Prisons:

* Food (give them the bare minimum)

* No more shopping trips, excusions or days out.

* Get rid of the in cell toilets and bring back buckets; thereby allowing an extra bed to be fitted into all cells.

* Remove any electrical items from cells to save on electricity.

* Most important, bring back death penalty to save on any expense for murderers or kiddy fiddlers

 

Councils.

* Ban any Council from offering any salary above ?50,000 a year. If all councils were forced to do that, there would be none of this "that is the going rate" nonsense as the going rate would be ?50,000.

* Stop early retirement on final salary pensions

 

Police.

* Stop the buggers buying new cars every 12 months and make them use bikes and leg power more.

* Stop them retiring after 30 years (or lately 35 years) and make them work till 65 like the rest of us

 

MP's.

* Shoot the lot because as we are now governed by the EU, we don't need ours any more. Will save millions every year

 

There you go, I have just saved the world!!

[Paul Kennedy]

I rather sense no matter who is in power, there will both be tax increases and cuts, with regards to the latter, given the waste that goes on there is plenty of scope without affecting front line services. Unlikely that income tax will rise above that which is already planned, but other taxes such as fuel duty, VAT etc will.

[wolfie]

Stop the payment of all benefits in Liverpool Sorted

[observer]

Strangely I don't have a problem with your cuts proposals Baz; with the possible exeption of keeping coppers on the beat till they're 65 - they're clearly not as fit or capable at 65 than some youngster of 25. The way round this would be: the idea of a multi tier Police Service: with National, Regional and Local Forces; the local Forces could employ the older coppers till 65, giving out parking tickets etc! It could of course apply across the board, with meaningfull employment being taken, and experience not being wasted - however it would require a new range of employment contracts for a new generation of starters. On the subject of "benefits" - should we continue, in this overcrowded Island, to pay child allowance for more than one sprog; should it be paid to other than "married" parents - that could save a few bob, and end the modern career mode of single motherhood?!

[Lt Kije]

The vast majority of single mothers are deserted wives and widows, The young unmarried women with children, presumably the ones living on benefits are a very small percentage of the whole.

[observer]

Think you best check your statistics Kyje; as nowaday there arn't many "wives" to desert, plently of "girlfriends" though; and the game of musical chairs (or beds) we call relationships keeps going round and round, and the unfortunate results (kids), grow up without role models and at a cost to the tax-payer.

[Lt Kije]

I suggest you check Obs you will see I am right

 

Take a look

[observer]

Look at what, the number of illegitimate births in the UK, think we're top of the pile at the moment! They're even sending home pregnant squaddies from Afghanistan - can't blame that on Al Quaeda!

[Lt Kije]

I've looked

 

The vast majority of single Mothers come from divorce check the stats Obs, I know what you are getting at but your statment is wrong

[harry hayes]

Interesting suggestions. The vast majority will, sadly, never ever come to pass.

 

I favour a four or five pence in the pound increase in income tax, raising the thresh-hold for paying tax that much higher so they will not be unduly penalised by taking a job. I would freeze all pensions and benefits for perhaps two years.

 

Re the police working till 65. Quite correct that they can't be involved in rough and tumble at anywhere near that age. However, employing them as parking ticket issuers would make them very expensive as I assume they would remain on police pay.

 

Happy days

[Eagle]

I would freeze all pensions and benefits for perhaps two years.

 

 

 

I am very glad that you are not in charge.

[harry hayes]

Am a pensioner myself but I think the load must be shared.

 

Happy days

[observer]

Simple solution Kyje, which takes your assertion into account; child allowance only payable on the first child, on production of a marriage certificate - sorted.

[Lt Kije]

Works for me

[observer]

Well it seems there will be clear blue water between the main two parties at the next General Election - the Tories are offering a cuts regime for the Plebs, forcing them onto the dole; while they give inheritance tax breaks to the rich - so nothing different there. Meanwhile, "new" Labour appear to be reinventing class warfare with rhetoric about squeezing the rich (finally); but will the "rhetoric" be turned into action? However, the problem with "class warfare" is the reaction of the middle class, who perhaps don't mind the working class being made poorer, while the rich are made richer, just as long as they are not affected. Also, while in economic terms this may find favour with core Labour voters, the laxed liberal social policies of the last 12 years; with issues such as immigration and law and order, may not bring their core vote back into the fold.

[Bazj]

........and you really think that after 12 long long years of this dictatorship, they are suddenly going to change and make everything rosy for the working class?

 

Do me a favour Obs, you are in dream world. All this nonsense that is talked about inheritance tax breaks is fine, but it is hardly a regular income for the rich is it? So what if they change the rules? it WILL also benefit the ordinary chap with a modest (by todays standards anyway) house that is left to him. Remember that in order to benefit, someone has to die and I am sure in a lot of cases, people would rather they still had their parents about than bricks and mortar.

 

This is the usual scaremongering stuff that Labour come out with before an election. It has taken Brown 12 years to screw this country into the ground and it will once again take the tories to sort it all out again.....

[observer]

If you read my post properly, it was far from dreamy; merely a realistic assessment: the Tories havn't changed and will impose draconian public spending cuts, putting public sector workers into tax consumers, while giving tax breaks to the rich - nothing new, it's the nature of the beast. Meanwhile "new" Labour will talk of screwing the rich, hammering the bankers etc - but when push comes to shove, will no doubt water down any such socialist zeal. The probability is that we'll get a hung Parliament, which will mean the LibDems may finally get a lever on policy; while the Scots Nats will be wringing concessions out of all of them. Irrespective of who's in control, a period of austerity is on the cards - the only question for voters is: who's going to pay ?