Council tax or suicide?

[1066familyman]

Really

 

[happypig]

you cannot go to prison for a civil conviction, in case you didn't know.

If you refuse to pay your council tax the council can apply to the magistrates for a committal to prison even though it's technically a civil debt.
For what it's worth I don't agree with this but I can understand the reasoning.

 

[1066familyman]

If you refuse to pay your council tax the council can apply to the magistrates for a committal to prison even though it's technically a civil debt.
For what it's worth I don't agree with this but I can understand the reasoning.

And I found this old article regarding jail sentences for non payment of TV licence (well, the resulting fines to be precise).

Courts jail 845 for not paying TV licence fines - News - The Independent

I think the crucial point is that the jailing is for the non - payment of fines, rather than the non payment of the TV licence itself. Pat is indeed right about no jail sentences for civil convictions it appears, so I've been labouring under a misconception. But I know for a fact that my sentences were not subject to remission, unlike the 'criminals' I was locked up with.

I really have nothing to prove and no reason to bullshit as Pat suggests. Just trying to tell the OP what happened to me after my will-ful refusal to pay the old Poll Tax (Community Charge). I certainly wasn't the only one who walked the walk to get rid of the Poll Tax. I have no idea how it works now as regards refusal to pay the Council Tax. As I said, I have no problem with paying Council Tax.

 

[BadFish]

And I found this old article regarding jail sentences for non payment of TV licence (well, the resulting fines to be precise).

Courts jail 845 for not paying TV licence fines - News - The Independent

I think the crucial point is that the jailing is for the non - payment of fines, rather than the non payment of the TV licence itself. Pat is indeed right about no jail sentences for civil convictions it appears, so I've been labouring under a misconception. But I know for a fact that my sentences were not subject to remission, unlike the 'criminals' I was locked up with.

I really have nothing to prove and no reason to bullshit as Pat suggests. Just trying to tell the OP what happened to me after my will-ful refusal to pay the old Poll Tax (Community Charge). I certainly wasn't the only one who walked the walk to get rid of the Poll Tax. I have no idea how it works now as regards refusal to pay the Council Tax. As I said, I have no problem with paying Council Tax.

What is the difference between the Poll tax and the council tax? I am interested to know why you were prepared to go to prison over one but happy to pay the other?

 

[1066familyman]

What is the difference between the Poll tax and the council tax? I am interested to know why you were prepared to go to prison over one but happy to pay the other?

The Poll Tax (community charge) replaced the old local rates system. It was a blanket charge to pay for local services set by each local authority. By 'blanket charge' I mean every single resident paid exactly the same, regardless of the size of the property you lived in or how many people lived in that property. It was a charge on the individual. To be fair, there were discounts available to those in receipt of benefits etc, but essentially if you lived in a mansion or a bedsit in the same borough, you paid the same rate. Some Tory councils like Wandsworth would set very low rates and, if memory serves me right, almost no Poll Tax charge. It was a clear attempt to put pressure on Labour controlled councils and the essential local services councils provided.
There was widespread revolt against the Poll Tax and in the end, after Thatcher finally fell from grace, John Major replaced it with the Council Tax we have today which is similar in nature to the old rates system. I think the Poll tax was only in force for three years, although it may have been two, before it was replaced with what we have now.

Basically it was/is a political stance on my part and countless others. There are arguments on both sides of course. Cue binfest.

 

[1066familyman]

In case my rambling and poor memory has still left you confused...here's the opening paragraph on the Community Charge from the wiki page :

The Community Charge, popularly known as the poll tax, was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the local authority. The tax was replaced by Council Tax in 1993, two years after its abolition was announced.

 

[BadFish]

In case my rambling and poor memory has still left you confused...here's the opening paragraph on the Community Charge from the wiki page :

The Community Charge, popularly known as the poll tax, was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the local authority. The tax was replaced by Council Tax in 1993, two years after its abolition was announced.

Thanks I appreciate the information, I had quite forgotten what it was all about. Ironically I went to several Pole tax demonstration at the time.

 

[1066familyman]

Thanks I appreciate the information, I had quite forgotten what it was all about. Ironically I went to several Pole tax demonstration at the time.

Several thousand marched through our local town centre on a protest march. There really was a massive movement against it nationwide. The Scots started the protests as those poor bastards had to suffer the indignity of being used as guinea pigs by the Tory government. The magistrates courts got choked up by it and I believe it was this and of course the fact that it was such an obvious vote loser that brought about it's downfall so quickly.

 

[pastafarian]

are you still a tranny or have you changed your mind