Le Stu Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Salmond Bill To Scrap Council Tax Will Be Introduced (from The Herald )Huzzah! I have my concerns, but it's high time Aberdeen residents got a frikkin' break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Salmond Bill To Scrap Council Tax Will Be Introduced (from The Herald )Huzzah! I have my concerns, but it's high time Aberdeen residents got a frikkin' break.What makes you think "Aberdeen residents" will be better off?I would guess that there's a higher proportion of high earners in Aberdeen who will end up paying more under an income based tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Knowing my luck i'll end up paying the same or more under the new scheme despite living on a pittance right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 What makes you think "Aberdeen residents" will be better off?I would guess that there's a higher proportion of high earners in Aberdeen who will end up paying more under an income based tax.I'll cry them a river. Despite oil riches, I can't believe a majority of residents here are rich. I'm certainly not. I'm a single occupant/owner and I get hammered for this tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I'm certainly not. I'm a single occupant/owner and I get hammered for this tax.Sounds like we're in the same boat mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I'll cry them a river. Despite oil riches, I can't believe a majority of residents here are rich. I'm certainly not. I'm a single occupant/owner and I get hammered for this tax.Yeah, just thought it was strange terminology, perhaps "low paid people across Scotland" rather than "Aberdeen residents" would be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Sounds like we're in the same boat mate.Could be, but I do earn embarrassingly little, and that is my prerogative as a slacker! If you earn around 930 per month, pre-tax, lowest band council tax will take 8.5% of your income. Roughly. I'd have to go home and look at some bills, and then relearn elementary math to figure out where it starts to suck for your earnings. Basically, if 3% LIT goes through, depending on rates for water, you're looking at around half council tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Could be, but I do earn embarrassingly little, and that is my prerogative as a slacker! If you earn around 930 per month, pre-tax, lowest band council tax will take 8.5% of your income. Roughly. I'd have to go home and look at some bills, and then relearn elementary math to figure out where it starts to suck for your earnings. Basically, if 3% LIT goes through, depending on rates for water, you're looking at around half council tax.We definitely are in the same boat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Could be, but I do earn embarrassingly little, and that is my prerogative as a slacker! If you earn around 930 per month, pre-tax, lowest band council tax will take 8.5% of your income. Roughly. I'd have to go home and look at some bills, and then relearn elementary math to figure out where it starts to suck for your earnings. Basically, if 3% LIT goes through, depending on rates for water, you're looking at around half council tax.I pay 81 a month for band A with single person discount. Having just typed some figures into a calculator you'd have to earn 2700 a month, pre-tax, before the 81 would be 3% of your wage.So most people hovering around the national average of about 25k a year and under would be better off under the new plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkaline Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I pay 81 a month for band A with single person discount. Having just typed some figures into a calculator you'd have to earn 2700 a month, pre-tax, before the 81 would be 3% of your wage.So most people hovering around the national average of about 25k a year and under would be better off under the new plans.So does that mean we'd likely be in for a reduction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 So does that mean we'd likely be in for a reduction?Well if they get the plans through and implement a local income tax at 3% of your monthly, then yes you'd pay less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Yeah, just thought it was strange terminology, perhaps "low paid people across Scotland" rather than "Aberdeen residents" would be better. Yeah... yeah, all right. I think Aberdeen gets less subsidy than other cities from central government, though I have no evidence to back this up, mind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 IThough once I start splitting my bills with my other half it'll really be six and half a dozen as far as I'm concernedYeah me too, in fact I'll probably be worse off in that respect. Though splitting other bills will mean I'm better off overall. Swings and roundabouts.But then that's not a financial decision anyway.Also starting a new job soon with more pay which means it'll be even worse.However I spent a lot of time on benefits while looking for a full time job after college and uni so I don't mind paying my share now I'm actually earning decent money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skull Commander Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 My council tag is around 200 per month so I will actually be doing cartwheels if this comes through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I lose doubly over this one: I'll pay more than I do now and I lose my job.Hurrah!not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I lose doubly over this one: I'll pay more than I do now and I lose my job.Hurrah!not Do you work in the council tax collection dept then?Fear not, you'll be OK, you won't have to pay the local income tax on your dole money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorge Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Do you work in the council tax collection dept then?Aye, recovery assistant (translation: debt collector hiding behind a desk) for Aberdeenshire.TBH I'll probably scoot off before this affects me, but I wouldn't bet on this bill going through.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I don't think they'll have any problem getting this through Holyrood OR ELSE. Worked for last year's budget!Bit of a problem in that setting it up through PAYE is out with the remit of the Scottish Government. And the cash that was set aside for council tax benefit being gifted for subsidising LIT. And 3% LIT maybe not exactly funding everything council tax did, despite savings in collections. It does seem that a hell of a lot of people are gonna do better out of this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 I don't think they'll have any problem getting this through Holyrood OR ELSE. Worked for last year's budget!Don't be so sure, Tories, Labour and Greens are against it while SNP and Lib Dems take a different view on how it should be administered (same rate for whole country vs locally set rate) so I don't think it's quite home and dry yet. And that's before the problems you refer to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Don't be so sure, Tories, Labour and Greens are against it while SNP and Lib Dems take a different view on how it should be administered (same rate for whole country vs locally set rate) so I don't think it's quite home and dry yet. And that's before the problems you refer to.True, but they know they're fucked if Salmond calls an election. I doubt they'll really oppose it in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 True, but they know they're fucked if Salmond calls an election. I doubt they'll really oppose it in the end.Can't see Labour or the Tories voting for it under any circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Can't see Labour or the Tories voting for it under any circumstances.Tories will, I agree. They have nothing to lose by sticking to their guns, either. Labour and the Lib Dems are in an incredibly weak position though, and I doubt they'll have the nuts to vote it down. Labour abstained in last year's budget vote, after 'opposing' it, which was as good as handing it to the SNP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 Tories will, I agree. They have nothing to lose by sticking to their guns, either. Labour and the Lib Dems are in an incredibly weak position though, and I doubt they'll have the nuts to vote it down. Labour abstained in last year's budget vote, after 'opposing' it, which was as good as handing it to the SNP.Labour still won't vote for it I'm afraid. If they did it would put enormous pressure on the Labour Government as Westminster for one thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 Labour still won't vote for it I'm afraid. If they did it would put enormous pressure on the Labour Government as Westminster for one thing.There's a possibility that Salmond will goad them into abstaining, particularly if the Labour MSP's realise that voting it down will cause them to look even more unpopular than they are in the face of Labour collapse in 2010.Nothing is certain in this parliament, whoever would've thought that the SNP would get the Tories to help them pass a budget two years ago? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Stu Posted September 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 Labour still won't vote for it I'm afraid. If they did it would put enormous pressure on the Labour Government as Westminster for one thing.I'm not suggesting they'll vote for it, I'm suggesting they'll whip their membership to abstain from voting for fear that the SNP will seek a fresh mandate from the electorate, should their minority administration not gain the cross party consensus needed to pass this bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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