Council Tax

Council Tax is set to rise. Council Tax is set to rise at above the rate of inflation. Council Tax is set to rise above the rate of growth in the economy. Should we really be surprised by this? No, not really. It has been rising faster than the rate of growth in the economy every single year. What shall we be getting to account for these massive increases, overall we shall be getting less. Every year taxes rise at above the rate that the economy grows to pay for them, and still that is not enough to feed the hungry mouths in Town Hall so they will cut the amount that they decide to give to us the people that pays for it all. They cannot really say that it is because the money that tax payers give through central government is not enough since that has been going up fast as well:

A government spokesman said councils had enjoyed above-inflation grant increases for almost a decade, enough to deliver effective services at an affordable cost.

With that excuse dead they need another one. So what better to turn turn than Education. You cannot resent money spent on the poor little kiddies can you? Well I can. Particually, as despite these constant increases in funding the quality is actually going down.

New research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and conducted by Michael Shayer, professor of applied psychology at King's College, University of London, concludes that 11- and 12-year-old children in year 7 are "now on average between two and three years behind where they were 15 years ago", in terms of cognitive and conceptual development.

We where told that all was needed was more money to get results, since the only thing on offer as an option was spending more money. Well, we spent the money. Now where are the results? They didn't happen. So you need more money? Sorry, no deal.

Or could it be that the increases are due to money having to go elsewhere. Another excuse will be that this money will be going to pay for the increasing number of elderly. Not of course the elderly that worked their lives producing wealth, no these people commited the cardinal sin of planning for getting old and saved into pensions. There is no greater sin for the Big Government than the sin of foresight. People should not plan for their own futures. That is the job of government commitees, of five year plans and fact finding missions. To commit such a heinous sin as to try and be self reliant it is only right and proper for Big Government to take away all that they have saved though tax increases. And it they cannot pay and get thown into prison? So be it for having the gall to want to make their own way in life. No it is not these unworthy private pensioners that this money is going to. There is a far more worthy group than the insignificant elders that spent their lives creating wealth, the inflation proof pensions enjoyed by all government workers are a far more worthy cause:

"We calculate some 26 per cent of council tax receipts go towards public sector pensions. There's every possibility this figure will rise over the next five years as age-related costs continue to feed in."