LETTER - Local Income Tax (03/11/03)

Dear Sir,
at the October meeting of Somerset County Council, Lib Dems voted for a new local income tax that would mean soaring tax bills across Somerset. Labour, supported by the Lib Dems, have already pushed up tax through National Insurance.
Conservatives welcome a review of the current system of taxation. But the implications of the Lib Dem new local income tax have not been thought through.
The average council tax across Somerset is £950. Replacing it with a local income tax of 3% and regional income tax of 5% would be equivalent to a tax rate of an 8% extra on pay packets and savings income. This could mean £2,912 a year bills for a typical two-earner household. Also, pensioners would be much worse off, with their savings being taxed.
At the time of the Council meeting a Liberal Democrat online survey in local income tax showed that 83% of Somerset residents are against their proposals. They chose to ignore their own survey, and their own residents and instead play Party politics.
Their proposal was only supported by 26 Lib Dem councillors and won on the chairman's casting vote.
It is now clear, Liberal Democrats want to increase taxes even more.
Yours,
Christopher Wolverson
Conservative Councillor
Somerset County Council