There is a strong case to promote green growth by shifting the tax burden away from families and personal taxation onto environmental pollution (Surrey Advertiser, 19 January 2007). But the Liberal Democrats’ latest tax proposals are not so attractive if you read the small print of their policy documents.
Their plans for a new local income tax of between 4% to 4.5% on both the basic and higher rates of taxation would hammer hard-working families across Guildford. As Guildford’s former Liberal Democrat MP may recall remarking after the general election, “local income tax was a real sticking point…young professionals such as two teachers living together struggling to pay the mortgage really didn’t like the policy.”
Other unwelcome measures in their tax plans include cutting tax relief on personal pensions, VAT on new homes, and moving (in the long-term) to an annual house price tax – as already being introduced in Northern Ireland by the Labour Government from April. Yes, we need measures to protect the environment and tackle climate change, and the balance of local government funding certainly needs reform. But hammering middle England – young and old – with tax hikes like these is not the answer.
Cllr Sheridan Westlake
Borough councillor for Merrow
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