Why, exactly, am I paying council tax?

[Black_Omen 10]

So, as I understand it (feel free to correct me), I pay council tax for the Police, Ambulances/NHS, Postal Delivery, Keeping roads clear (or is this under Road Tax?), etc etc etc.

 

In the last six months (and longer), I have phoned the Police 0 times, needed an Ambulance / hospitalisation 0 times, had nothing but junk and circular mail. The only thing I use (if it's included in this) is the roads - for the terrible bus service - and the council have abandoned them to the elements (despite many assurances heard on radio / tv stating it was all in hand and controlled). So because of this, I don't get paid today. But the council still get to tax me on my earnings.

 

That accurate?

[andyrad29 10]

thats about right yeah

[Guest sibon]

So, as I understand it (feel free to correct me), I pay council tax for the Police, Ambulances/NHS, Postal Delivery, Keeping roads clear (or is this under Road Tax?), etc etc etc.

 

In the last six months (and longer), I have phoned the Police 0 times, needed an Ambulance / hospitalisation 0 times, had nothing but junk and circular mail. The only thing I use (if it's included in this) is the roads - for the terrible bus service - and the council have abandoned them to the elements (despite many assurances heard on radio / tv stating it was all in hand and controlled). So because of this, I don't get paid today. But the council still get to tax me on my earnings.

 

That accurate?

 

Indeed.

 

It is all part of a NuLibDemLabCon conspiracy to get you to pay more tax.

 

They ordered a foot of snow overnight, with no clear plans for what they would do with it. Dumping it on the roads was the only solution. Who knows what they were thinking of.

 

Of course, you could do your bit to smash the system... by walking. That would show them.

[Andy 10]

So you don't have your bin emptied, or take rubbish to the tip?

 

The council haven't abandoned the roads. What exactly do you expect them to do today?

[Bonjon 10]

So because of this, I don't get paid today. But the council still get to tax me on my earnings.

 

That accurate?

 

The government tax your earnings, and i'm sure if you get mugged, robbed, injured you wouldn't be complaining then.

 

If no one payed CT, the city would be like a post appocolypse movie.

[bunkey 10]

75 mins to walk to work today, get off yer behind and get in and stop complaining.

[Vulcan B2 10]

And just what do you expect anybody to do about this severe weather? There's nothing that can be done. We're just gonna have to wait it out. Gritters (who, by the way, are council workers who agree to work extra hours to grit the roads) were battling the appalling conditions last night. They really cannot do any more. It would be lovely to have teams of gritters who get most of the year off and then swing into action when the weather is bad. It would be lovely to have fleets of gritting wagons and snow ploughs, but if you are moaning about the council tax you pay now, just think of what it would cost if all these things were available to us?

 

Sadly, the extreme weather has caused major disruption. However, there is nothing even Superman could have done.

[Bonjon 10]

If you object that much feel free to stop paying it.

[specjo 10]

Hi Black Omen - Read my response the Postal Service Thread and my feelings on council tax.

[Cyclone 10]

Why not use the power of the internet to find the full list of services the council provide.

And when saying that you haven't used them, have a think about whether you'd rather pay privately if you slip later and break a leg.

[lectrospin 10]

And just what do you expect anybody to do about this severe weather? There's nothing that can be done. We're just gonna have to wait it out. Gritters (who, by the way, are council workers who agree to work extra hours to grit the roads) were battling the appalling conditions last night. They really cannot do any more. It would be lovely to have teams of gritters who get most of the year off and then swing into action when the weather is bad. It would be lovely to have fleets of gritting wagons and snow ploughs, but if you are moaning about the council tax you pay now, just think of what it would cost if all these things were available to us?

 

Sadly, the extreme weather has caused major disruption. However, there is nothing even Superman could have done.

 

I think calling it 'extreme' weather is a bad excuse, it's just winter weather.

[specjo 10]

I'm so jealous of you "townies". Us people out on the very edges of Sheffield don't get anything when the weather is bad. We haven't had a postal delivery in our village for 4 days. We also haven't had a single bus run through the village for 4 days and we haven't had the grit wagon/snow plough come down the main road of our village at all!!!

 

When our village flooded in the summer of 2007, lots of residents called the fire brigade many times to ask them to pump water out of our homes. You know what they said in response?? "Sorry, unless human life is in imminent danger we're too busy looking after the people in Sheffield city centre to bother with the small villages. You're on your own and will have to manage the best you can." We called the council many times to ask them for delivery of emergency sand-bags and they responded "Sorry, we had to use all the available sand-bags to protect the buildings in the city. You're on your own".

 

We pay the same levels of council tax as you "townies" but never get the same level of service !!! It's time people in rural areas paid less council tax if they don't get the same service.