MAKE RICH PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE
Campaign group’s council tax demand
A powerful coalition of campaign groups has demanded a bold shakeup of the council tax to ensure the wealthy pay a fairer share.
The STUC-led alliance is calling on Holyrood’s leaders to back the revaluation of properties to fix the “broken” system.
Council tax was introduced by John Major’s Tory government to replace the poll tax. But critics say it is hopelessly out of date as bills are linked to the value of a property in 1991.
Trade unions estimate 57 per cent of all properties in Scotland would have changed banding if a revaluation had taken place in 2014. Half are believed to be in too low a band.
Ahead of a vote at Holyrood today on the SNP/ Green Budget, dozens of groups have signed an open letter backing a revaluation.
They wrote: “From rising child homelessness to bins that aren’t collected, the foundations of Scottish society are being eroded by a tax system that fails to invest in our basic needs.
“Action to address the outdated valuations of property can enable local government to play a leading role in mitigating climate change, reducing poverty, and tackling inequalities.
“Our organisations may take different views about how council tax should be replaced or reformed but we all agree a revaluation is a necessary first step. We cannot continue on Scotland’s current path, which leaves our local services cut off from the benefits of increasing property wealth.
“In Wales, a revaluation is under way. It is time for Scotland to follow suit.” Signatories include the Poverty Alliance, the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, the SNP Trade Union group and Oxfam Scotland. Trade unions include the GMB, Unison and the EIS.
STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “The lack of investment for public services has become a national scandal. “With councils tied to a regressive system it’s little wonder public services are fundamentally broken. A wholesale rates revaluation must happen urgently.”
Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “It’s utterly absurd the valuations underpinning council tax bills were decided when the first minister was just six years old.
“A property revaluation is a nonnegotiable stepping stone towards any meaningful reform of the council tax.”
We all agree a revaluation is necessary first step multi-group view of council tax bands