LIB DEMS PLAN EXTRA TAX FOR SOMERSET (15/10/03)

Christopher Wolverson, leader of the Conservative Group on Somerset County Council, explained, ‘Labour have already pushed up tax on income through National insurance.Liberal Democrats supported this.Now they are planning a local income tax for Somerset and a regional income tax for the South West.This is on top of their plans to increase national income tax.

‘At the time of the Council meeting, a Liberal Democrat online survey into their local income tax showed that 83% of Somerset residents are against their proposals.And yet, they chose to ignore their own survey and their own residents.They chose to play Party politics, which helps nobody.’

John Smeaton, Conservative Councillor for Blackdown and Wellington East, told the meeting of Somerset County Council that there were not enough details about the new Lib Dem tax.However, the ruling group refused to provide more details.The motion was only supported by 26 Liberal Democrat Councillors and was won on the casting vote of the Chairman.Despite this, the Lib Dems have decided to push ahead, putting their Party ahead of their County.

David Huxtable, Deputy Leader of the Conservative group and Councillor for King Alfred said, ‘it isn’t the tax that needs to be axed, but the Liberal Democrats.

He continued, ‘These plans are very bad news for Somerset.The average council tax across Somerset is £950.Replacing it with a local income tax and regional income tax could be equivalent to a tax rate of 8% extra on pay packets and savings income.This could mean £2,912 a year bills for a typical two-earner household.’

‘Houses with more than one earner would be hit hard.Pensioners would also be worse off, with their savings being taxed.Somerset deserves a fair deal, not even higher taxes.Liberal Democrats are all talk with their ‘axe the tax’ campaign.The reality is that Liberal Democrats want to increase taxes.’