What do you think of my new tax proposal?

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What do you think of my new tax proposal?
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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 05 1:19 pm Post subject:

jema wrote:

If you look at congestion charging in London, that was a very bold move that one hell of a lot of people I am sure said was unworkable, but it worked!

Did it work? It would be good to see a truly independent assessment. Traffic may have gone down in the area covered by the charge but 1000s of businesses have been affected and some gone bust and areas just outside the zone have had a huge rise in traffic. How much has the charge done on its own and how much did all the other traffic management, like re-phasing of the traffic lights, do to reduce the traffic? It can also be seen as a tax on the poorer people and people earning a large amount of money have an easier drive to work. There's also all those unregistered cars who are not affected.

The c/charge can also be used to show how legislation is used just to move a problem and not solve it.

Milo

Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Oop North-ish.

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 05 2:42 pm Post subject:

Hey, look, it's another good idea being almost relentlessly squashed.

I think it's first rate and I'd like to see the 20 drop to 5 and the 40 to 20. And the employee should be able to benefit financially from the tax too.

If you think you need to travel long distances to work then you're almost certainly living in the wrong place. Or you're in the wrong job! Or your employer is a twit.

And who wants to work for a twit?

I think this issue comes under the heading of upsizing.

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 05 9:01 pm Post subject:
I wonder how far they would get with taxing empty lorries, vans etc as away to get more efficient use of vehicles. A bit like the idea i have seen somewhere about having more than one person in the car etc

Milo

Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Oop North-ish.

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 05 12:51 am Post subject:

Quote:

A bit like the idea i have seen somewhere about having more than one person in the car etc

How might that work?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 05 7:05 am Post subject:

Milo wrote:

Quote:

A bit like the idea i have seen somewhere about having more than one person in the car etc

How might that work?

Is that a serious question?

If it is, then the answer is that two people sharing a journey means one rather than two cars are used, cutting down petrol usage and traffic and parking.

Back to the original idea, all sorts of people travel long distances bands for example so do all of those get taxed? What about contract people, anything from farm workers to Doctors? Then there are MP.

Looking at it there would be too many exemptions to make it workable IMHO.

Milo

Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Oop North-ish.

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 05 5:31 pm Post subject:

Quote:

having more than one person in the car etc

How might that work?

Is that a serious question?

I'd thought perhapsb you were referring to tax exemptions applicable to lift-sharers, is all.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 05 5:59 pm Post subject:

Milo wrote:

And it would instantly punish firms who hire people who can then work at home, unless they were local. Working for someone far away doesn't have to mean travelling.

jema
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28120
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 05 7:04 pm Post subject:

NickHowe wrote:

Milo wrote:

And it would instantly punish firms who hire people who can then work at home, unless they were local. Working for someone far away doesn't have to mean travelling.

I myself was a home worker in the very real sense of only going to the offce 80 miles away once every few months if that, for many years

I still think there is milage in the general idea (no pun intended), if it were policed by local councils with the ability to grant exceptions and perhaps with it only applying to firms employing 20 or more.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 9:37 am Post subject: Re: What do you think of my new tax proposal?

jema wrote:

I propose that all companies on any new person they hire are either awarded a tax credit or debit based on the following.

If they employ someone who lives within 20 miles, they would get a tax credit of £1000 pounds.

If they employ someone outside of a 40 mile radius, they would be taxed an additional £1000 pounds.

CKR proposed something similar on on RC..........

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28120
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 9:44 am Post subject: Re: What do you think of my new tax proposal?

Behemoth wrote:

jema wrote:

CKR proposed something similar on on RC..........

Didn't nick the post honest. I have not had time to read RC for months.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 9:50 am Post subject:
Just checking

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 10:07 am Post subject:

I love the principle of the idea, but the current legislation would be difficult to circumvent.

What about changing the principle and giving tax breaks to the employee for working close to home?

I have to commute 60 miles per day to earn a decent wage, If I work closer to home then the wages aren't as good, so if the government cut my tax bill I could afford to earn less, and I'd be happier and have more time to work or be with my family.

The time cost of commuting must be huge, let alone the environmental one, it's equivalent to two hours work a day for me.

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 10:17 am Post subject:
I can never grasp the mentality of those who feel macho by having to do a 40-50 mile drive each way to work. I think they feel it proves their commitment Proves they should be committed if they do it out of choice more like!

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 10:25 am Post subject:
Never realised there was a macho side to it, I just find it a hellish, depressing waste of my life.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28120
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 05 10:31 am Post subject:

Bernie66 wrote:

I can never grasp the mentality of those who feel macho by having to do a 40-50 mile drive each way to work. I think they feel it proves their commitment

Proves they should be committed if they do it out of choice more like!

I always thought the people doing an 80 mile round trip to my old Swindon work place were nuts

I'd take the bus to work, read a paper and get a little walking in, whilst they were stressed out on the motorway

The I got the chop, had a morgage to pay and did three interviews for new jobs. One was local interview went to paraphrase

Them - "We work hard, We play hard, we expect you to do a 60 hour week without overtime pay, arn't we macho"

Me - "Fark off"

Didn't get that one.

Next one was the 80 mile round trip:

Them - "We work hard, We play hard, we expect you to do a 60 hour week without overtime pay, arn't we macho, oh and you get a free company biro after 5 years"

Me (lesson learnt) - "That's nice

"

Got offered that one

Last one was the 160 mile round trip:

Them - "We're a small company with an exciting product, We work hard, but you can wear jeans/t-shirt, and you will be having a fun time and be in on something that may be big".

Me - "Yes please

"

Got that one and grabbed it with both hands, of course they went bust without paying the wages a year later. But I have no regrets. when the choice is between a corperate salt mine and something interesting, the commuting aspect looks a bit different.

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