The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Teachers would want parking fees refunded.
Union boss warns that members would seek rebates from any scheme imposed by councils
Teachers would demand refunds at the taxpayers’ expense if they are slapped with new parking charges, says one of Scotland’s biggest unions.
It would cost Tayside and Fife councils £3.7 million in lost revenue if all teachers in the area won rebates for the £500 motorist tax.
EIS boss Larry Flanagan said his union would seek reimbursements under a future pay deal for any charges imposed by local authorities.
The general secretary told the BBC said any levy costs to its members would “simply work into the next pay claim and people would be looking to recompense that”.
The workplace parking levy was the result of Budget negotiations with the Greens, allowing struggling councils to raise extra revenue amid cuts to core grants. The EIS vow to effectively exempt their members could blunt that revenue-raising tool, leaving councils shy of the funding they say is required to protect services.
Murdo Fraser, for the Scottish Conservatives, said the SNP should ignore the “Green extremists” and drop the levy.
“We already knew this ill-judged SNP tax would be a disaster for workers and businesses right across Scotland,” the Perthshire-based MSP said.
“Now it seems it would be a nightmare for the taxpayer too.”
Under the Budget agreement between the SNP and Greens, councils would be given the option of taxing employers once a year for every parking space they provide to staff. It would be up to bosses to decide whether to pass on that cost to employees.
Courier Country motorists were among those who contributed to BBC Scotland’s radio phone-in yesterday morning.
Robert in Rosyth said: “I am absolutely sick to the back teeth listening to ‘let’s tax the car driver’.”
Airport worker Iain from Monifieth described the policy as a “disaster”, adding: “I’m really quite annoyed because people who work shifts will be adversely impacted by this.”
Other listeners said they could not see what was so controversial about the levy plan.
Supporters including environmental groups say the policy could help Scotland cut emissions, increase health and provide investment in public transport.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said the specifics of the levy will be mapped out with those affected before going through parliament.
“The workplace parking levy would be introduced at the discretion of local authorities, based on local circumstances, so any predicted costs to businesses or individuals are purely speculation at this point,” she added.
Motorists feel targeted by the taxman like never before. They have long endured spiralling costs associated with running their vehicles.
On top of low-emission zone charges coming to cities including Dundee, there is now the spectre of workplace parking levies. It will be up to councils whether they impose the fees on commuters.
While there may be justification for them in some cities given traffic and environmental concerns, many employees in rural areas simply cannot get to work without their cars. Teachers are the latest group who say they should not have to pay. There are many others who also feel the tax is not for them.
The levy-raising power is being handed to councils to satisfy demands from the Greens to improve the financial position for councils in the SNP administration’s budget.
Local leaders would no doubt rather have the hard cash than new powers with questionable revenue-raising potential. If they are willing to impose these charges, councils will have to tread carefully in determining who is liable. In straitened times, the public’s appetite for these sorts of new taxes will be tested.
Town halls will make up their own minds on whether they are being liberated by the SNP to raise much-needed extra funds, or are being forced into unpopular decisions by an Edinburgh government intent on passing the buck.