Ok so Alex Samond has announced his plans for the next year. Including what the BBC seem to automatically assume is a replacement of Council Tax with a 3p flat rate Scottish National Income Tax.
Cathy Jamieson seems to think that by calling the bill the replace Council Tax an Abolition of Council Tax Bill somehow that created a fairer tax is something to be ashamed off, or at least the name Local Income Tax. Maybe she should check out the Abolition of Slavery Act (1807), Wages Attachment (Abolition) Act (1870) [relating to poor law loopholes], the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act (1965), Grand Jury (Abolition) Act (Northern Ireland) (1969) just as some examples and tell what were people scared of in any og those. Mind you please wake me upon when any of the Labour Holyrood group leadership contenders instead of disparaging the council tax come up with any substantial, and then i may pay attention if it is anywhere near as far a replacement both to payers and Local Authorities expenditure plans than a locally set LIT based on ability to pay.
Cathy also fails to see that a fairer local tax is the least we can do after the poorest in our country have become more heavily taxed than at any point in our nations taxation history. I think instead of arguing the old erroneous song of Labour that LIT makes us the highest taxed part of the UK they should wake up to reality. The fact is if Labour's aim really is to best serve the hard working poor that LIT is one hell of a assistance to them after Gordon's various pulls on their meagre wages.
While a National Scottish Income Tax distributed evenly may well have damaging effect of local services in some areas what harm can the generation old local taxation level setting for local expenditure cause harm. Smarter fairer taxes are something that Labour have failed to deliver from Westminster and it seems that their Scottish counterparts are none the wiser.
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