Basement Wars - be glad you live in Sheffield!

[davyboy]

Don't blame the people doing the digging, blame the council for allowing them to do it.

 

Exactly.

I bet if you or I applied for planning permission it would be refused.

 

---------- Post added 16-04-2015 at 17:09 ----------

 

how about a poll tax,would that be fair?

[F. Sidebottom]

But you almost certainly buy more things if you have more money. And for your earlier point of jealously and bitterness over people with more than me, not at all, I'm just one of those horrible socialists who would much rather anyone who had more than average gave more to support those with less than average. That's a horribly vague statement I accept but I can't think how to word it. And thinking people who have 16 bedroom houses, bowling alleys and cinema rooms in their houses perhaps could give up on some of that wealth to stop people starving doesn't seem bitter to me, it's seems fairly human.

 

And actually, yes I'd happily accept an increase in the amount of tax I pay. I'd fully support going back to our tax model prior to Thatcher of 83% for top earners.

 

---------- Post added 16-04-2015 at 16:10 ----------

 

 

Possibly, but there has to be a 'fair' way of doing it, based on people who can afford more paying more, and those how use more pay more.

 

Perhaps sort the bandings out would be better? Currently the top band of council tax is too low and far too many houses all fall into the top bracket. Re-value the homes (properly this time!) and make the v top rate over a million pounds then have bandings below that.

 

Or some ratio of number of people in the property to house price matrix but that could get overly complicated. I don't think everyone should just pay more at all, but lots of people can and should be paying more and others should almost certainly be more heavily subsidised.

 

Or finally, scrap it all together and increase income tax with a percentage of that going to the councils. Potential issue here is how would that money get distributed fairly to all councils and not become a political tool like it is now. Also, people who don't have an income per se but are v rich through investments etc wouldn't contribute at all unless this was also taken in account.

 

Why don't you put you're money where your mouth is.

 

You say you'd happily accept an increase in the tax you pay. Well there is nothing stopping you paying more. Just go ahead and write a cheque and send it to the powers that be - they'd accept it.

 

But we all know that wouldn't happen.

 

As for the 83% top rate. That would apply to those who don't get a personal allowance, or any child benefit or tax credits, or any income support, but also pay National Insurance. When you've added that all up, what percentage would be left? Somewhere around 10/20%. Do you honestly think that's fair? Would you really be happy paying such a high proportion of what you worked for in taxes? Nobody would. And so that creates tax evasion and avoidance, and it stops those with capital investing. And it's private enterprise and private capital investment that make money and jobs for our country in competing global markets - not public spending. Attack those with the ability to generate wealth and jobs, and those that need the jobs will always suffer.

[sgtkate]

Why don't you put you're money where your mouth is.

 

You say you'd happily accept an increase in the tax you pay. Well there is nothing stopping you paying more. Just go ahead and write a cheque and send it to the powers that be - they'd accept it.

 

But we all know that wouldn't happen.

 

As for the 83% top rate. That would apply to those who don't get a personal allowance, or any child benefit or tax credits, or any income support, but also pay National Insurance. When you've added that all up, what percentage would be left? Somewhere around 10/20%. Do you honestly think that's fair? Would you really be happy paying such a high proportion of what you worked for in taxes? Nobody would. And so that creates tax evasion and avoidance, and it stops those with capital investing. And it's private enterprise and private capital investment that make money and jobs for our country in competing global markets - not public spending. Attack those with the ability to generate wealth and jobs, and those that need the jobs will always suffer.

 

Actually, they wouldn't accept a cheque, but nevermind. Instead I give around 10% of my income to charity each month on top of the tax I have to pay. I also give my quite a few hours each month to do voluntary work.

 

Do you actually understand how taxation works? Only the amount above the top threshold would pay the rate of 83% so no-one would be left with 17%! So yes, if I was fortunate enough to be earning above say £100,000 a year, I'd very happily pay 83% on every penny above that and if I ever manage to get promoted high enough to earn it.

[F. Sidebottom]

Actually, they wouldn't accept a cheque, but nevermind. Instead I give around 10% of my income to charity each month on top of the tax I have to pay. I also give my quite a few hours each month to do voluntary work.

 

Do you actually understand how taxation works? Only the amount above the top threshold would pay the rate of 83% so no-one would be left with 17%! So yes, if I was fortunate enough to be earning above say £100,000 a year, I'd very happily pay 83% on every penny above that and if I ever manage to get promoted high enough to earn it.

 

I do understand how tax works. I understand that from approx £40,000 up to that £100,000 people like you would have people like me pay about 60% tax. Coupled with my NI contributions, and averaged out, then if I were lucky enough to earn £200k then I'd be way up there in the 80% range. More if I earned more.

 

There is no justification for that. And you may say you'd be happy to pay it, but if you earned it you wouldn't. I worked hard to get what I've got. Studying while others were earning. Working long hours to get trained well. Investing my time and money in my business. Why should I be penalised for now reaping the rewards of my hard work just because I earn more? I'm comfortable paying the taxes I pay now. I pay much more in terms of money and percentage than those on lower incomes, which I'm comfortable with. But if anyone tries to take any more off me 'just because I can afford it' then that isn't fair.