On Mar 30, 7:28*am, RJH wrote:
On 27/03/2013 18:58, bert wrote:

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes
I don't have kids, don't use the fire service or police or really any
council services other than bin collection, but still pay full council
tax. This can't be legal, can it?

Council tax is just an idle way of arbitrarily collecting taxes to fund
local services. The expenditure on those services is largely property
independent if you look at the breakdown provided by your council round
this time of year.

It's not arbitrary - it's very much contrived. It's possibly the last
example of LAs having any real control over service provision (and even
then it's tightly controlled). I reckon if central government took it
away we'd have mutiny. 75% of tax goes to central government, 25% to LG.
Of course, in my view, it should more or less stay where it's generated.

Leaving a house empty - other than for a short while when moving etc - is
a very anti-social act.

Real socialist thinking that one. It's my house, bought and paid for.

In our society, yes, money is the key, and I have to concede that
because you have a lot more money to spare than most, you can buy as
many houses as you please.

As of 2010 the UK had a shortage of homes. I can't reconcile the misery
faced by many in cramped, insecure and expensive housing, with the
contentedness of those with more than one home. Surprised you can, to be
honest.

Rob

Brought about by immigration. They're all living somewhere.

If you're poor, it's a consequence of your own earlier actions. Or
inaction.

I'm sure these "poor"people were told even at school what these
consequences were but they chose to ignore the advice.
So, they have to take what they're given.

BTW there is virtually no poverty in the UK. Yet.
You have to travel abroad to see real poverty.