CAHWT statement 18th June 2013 “Government threats of deduction at source forces high levels of property tax registration but struggle against unjust taxes will continue" says Campaign Responding to the fact that approx 90% of homes have been registered for the property tax, Gregor Kerr, spokesperson for the Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes said: “It is clear that a massive campaign of government threats and propaganda has intimidated large numbers of people into registering for the property tax. While we know that figures from government and Revenue sources have consistently overstated the number of householders registering, figures would seem to indicate that approximately 90% of houses have been registered for the property tax.” “However the government would be making a huge mistake if they believe that registration for the property tax means that people have accepted it. It is very obvious that the vast majority of those who have done so have registered under duress and resent very much the imposition of this austerity tax,” Mr. Kerr continued. "It is also clear that many people have postponed paying other bills or put off other necessary household spending to pay this tax. The latest Irish League of Credit Unions survey showed that 4 in 10 households are unable to pay all their bills on time and that over 1.2million people have less than €50 disposable income left after paying their bills every month. If people are so hard-pressed to pay the tax for a 6-month period this year, it will cause untold financial hardship next year when it is levied for the full 12-month period. The possibility of the Labour Party now standing over deducting this tax from wages and welfare is disgraceful. To dip into the pockets of workers, the unemployed and pensioners is to take food and heat from families and they will pay a heavy price." “When the property tax was first announced, the CAHWT put forward a strategy of boycott accompanied by political protest – aimed at creating a climate in which workers in the Revenue Commissioners, through their union, could be encouraged to refuse to implement deduction of the tax at source,” said Mr. Kerr. “That was the correct strategy and the only one capable of defeating the property tax. Unfortunately while large numbers of people boycotted the tax until the last minute insufficient numbers got involved in the protests necessary to bring about a political crisis that would have forced the government to back down.” “The fight against home taxes - the property tax, the septic tank tax and the forthcoming water tax - is far from over,” said Michael O’Brien, CAHWT spokesperson. “We may not have won this phase but the government parties should be aware that an angry people will be waiting to take revenge on them. People are very aware that there is a huge contrast between the manner in which the government have imposed this tax on us and the way in which successive Irish governments have facilitated multinationals such as Google, Apple, Starbucks and many more in their tax avoidance. Many campaign groups around the country are already discussing or have decided they are going to stand candidates in the local elections next year to provide an alternative to the parties of austerity.” “The boycott of the septic tank tax is still very much alive in many parts of the country,” Mr. O’Brien continued. “In coming months local communities and campaigns will be getting organised to fight the installation of water meters and the imposition of the proposed water tax. We would encourage everybody who paid the property tax under duress – and those who are still refusing to pay – to get involved in their local campaigns and to begin to build the fight against water metering and the water tax and against the wider austerity agenda. ” Ends Further information – Gregor Kerr 0861501151, Michael O’Brien 0872400331
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:40:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015