Comments for What to do about local government finance at http://www.adamsmith.org , comment 1 to 2 out of 2 comments http://www.adamsmith.org Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:26:04 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/politics/what-to-do-about-local-government-finance-200806201578/#comment-472 Wrong. They should wait until the bottom of the property/land price cycle; scrap all existing property-related taxes (Council Tax, Business Rates, Stamp Duty Land Tax, inheritance tax etc etc) and replace them with Land Value Tax, to be collected and spent by the relevant local authority. Conveniently, the total revenues from the above taxes are roughly equal to local authority spending excluding education (which would be replaced by education vouchers...) Continued page 94. - Mark Wadsworth Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:42:32 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/politics/what-to-do-about-local-government-finance-200806201578/#comment-470 The only way to reform and then slim down local government is to take Central Government out of the equation. At the moment the Government has its sticky finger in 96% of local government spending (figure provided by the Treasurer of Hampshire). Employment in most councils continues to rise and with it the provision of the local government pension scheme. Many of these extra employees are as a result of Government interference. The alternative is to fund centrally ordered services, education, social care land fill etc. to be funded by central Government and what is left paid for just as council tax. I understand that this could reduce council tax by about 75%. I know that no Government is keen to put up income tax but this would be a case of swings and round-a-bouts. Everyone using the services would pay something towards paying for the services we all use, The council tax payer, especially the low paid and pensioner, is collapsing under the weight of a tax pushed up continally by Government stealth. - Christine Melsom Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:21:28 +0100