Axe The Tax & Property Revaluaton

Liberal Democrats are still the only party campaigning for abolition of Council Tax and its replacement by a local income tax related to the ability to pay. They believe that this is a fairer way for people to pay for the many services provided by councils and they have had enormous support for it across the country. Many experts in local government believe that the government has ducked the issue by ordering another unnecessary enquiry that will not report until after the next General election.

Michael Heavens, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman and District Council Group Leader said:

"This year local Council Tax increases are lower because the County has benefited from the pre-election government sweetener to local authorities, receiving a larger grant share than expected. The District has become debt-free, allowing it to retain more revenue-generating capital from council house sales and has also been able to persuade the Government to use capital to address its pension deficit."

"Tory and New Labour pre-election promises of help here and help there, all without any idea of how it will be afforded, are hiding another council tax problem that is not being mentioned. "

On 2 December, responding to the Government's statement on councils' grant and council tax, Edward Davey MP, the Liberal Democrats' Shadow to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, said:

"The looming threat of council tax revaluation was totally ignored today, as Labour tries to hide unpleasant truths from voters. With council tax revaluation in Wales seeing 33% of homes rising one or more bands, it's clear why Ministers refuse to speak about revaluation. House prices have rocketed since the last revaluation in 1991. So, everyone knows that the next revaluation will bring large tax hikes for millions."

Michael Heavens added,

"Epping Forest residents will be hit hard by this revaluation because of our extraordinary rise in house prices. The only way to protect people on fixed pensions and incomes from large tax local tax increases is a tax based on a person's ability to pay. We say to the Government - get on with axing-the-tax. It was a hurried Tory invention to get out of the poll-tax mess and it has proved a total disaster."