General Chat

It would be interesting to know if this lady had children. Because then, it may be that she is really trying to save the house and her savings for their inheritance.

If she hasn't why doesn't she look into equity release. There are private companies and charities that can help her live in her own home without having to worry about repairs

I don´t think she is protesting about her ability to pay.
She wants CT for singles to be reduced to 50%.
Some hopes.

There is a 2011 newspaper report which says: -

Mrs Farrow claimed she had to pay the reduced amount as she wanted to safeguard her savings to pay for essential maintenance on her three bedroom bungalow

Another report also says she has her own water supply and a septic tank - so no water rates for her either.

( It also answered my own question - no children just a dog)

So it does seem as though equity release would be ideal for her - just leaves the issue of not paying taxes!

She isn't in any danger of losing her house...............she is saving the £16000 for any future repairs to it.

My parents had small savings and a house that was sold after my fathers sudden death, the monies left were almost all eaten up by the residential care Mum had to have for the last 7 years of her life.

That was absolutely not what they wanted, but how it panned out.

But singles do not use only half the services that a couple use do they? the bins still are 1 bin to be emptied whether they are full for two peopleor half full for one, , the street lighting is the same, the police called to a burglary at the house of two people don't cost any less than they do for one person, local social services might be needed more for one than for a couple, one person might go to the library twice as often ( more time for reading if you've only yourself to look after!) One person in a car is the same as two in terms of not wanting to drive over potholes.....

I don't know off hand exactly how local council tax is used,(I have it somewhere) so I googled and the first result up to give an idea of general services was Neath http://www.npt.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=6052

This is really off topic. I just hope all the "holier than thou" posters on this thread who think it is so terrible for this lady to protest have never protested themselves.

I hope you have accepted speeding and parking fines with no protest. I hope you have never been on any Aldermaston march. Or attacked the police and forces in Northern Ireland. I hope you are shocked that 3 respectable men set fire to a bombing school on the Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales. I hope you have never protested against school and hospital closures, or joined Swampy in his protest against the A34 widening near Newbury. I expect you will not go on any protest re bedroom tax, benefit cutbacks, care home closures, Remploy closures.

You all seem such a law abiding group of posters who would never cause the authorities a moment of unrest (this last paragraph is meant to be sarcastic or ironic or mildly leg-pulling) :-)

I don't think anyone is saying she shouldn't protest John. What people are saying, if I interpret correctly, is that she has every right to protest, but she should first pay what she owes and then protest to get the system changed. By not paying her bills she undermines her protest by breaking the law. If she was destitute it would be a different story. If we all protested in the same way councils would be broke and services would suffer.

I have no objection to this lady protesting but her refusal to pay her council tax must have an effect on the monies available to the council to the detriment of other rate payers - is that fair.

So lets expand the argument shall we? Why not half rates for childless couples or double rates for families with double the national average of children? Maybe single householders should only pay a quarter.


Council tax is based on the property not the dwellers. We must all take responsibility for managing our bills - yes it is a shame to move out of a family home but sometimes needs must. Please please don't let anyone go back to the Poll Tax system - that crippled us.

My feelings are that this lady is not refusing to pay but is protesting against the fact that she, like all single (not just pensioners) is only given a 25% discount off the total bill. I have already said this annoys me and was just going to say much the same as her about half the use of couples, quarter the use of some families etc. However, having read Rose's post it made me think about the differences in use of services between singles/couples and families. I don't know which Governnent Department decided on this figure of 25% but it would be interesting for someone to do a study on how fair It is.

I still defend this lady's right to refuse to pay her dues (she does in fact pay a small amount each month) without the need to use her savings or sell her home. I would join her but its too hot for protest and I don't have her will to win regardless of the fact that she could end in prison.

Vera

Are we not taught in the Gospels to pay taxes?

A very very rough paraphrase is that money is provided by the state. The state makes laws regarding taxation. If money is due to the start through taxation then it should be paid.

I also think that Paul said in Romans that Christians should obey the laws of the land because disobeying law is tantamount to disobeying God.

Incidentally, I have just slowly reread this thread so that I have all comments in context and still believe I am owed an apology, as well as OFITG.

OFITG - your comment re the Mail was valid and certainly "on topic" unlike some (a few) comments.

Three of us have made the comment about the Bible and paying taxes. Cynthia first, then me, then Errol. Not a usual triumvirate. :-) ;-)

I don't have any problem with her protesting, she can protest till the day she dies as far as I am concerned, all the way from her local council to the European court.

I just happen to think she's wrong, and since she isn't here to answer the specific and legitimate points raised, then it is a pretty pointless exercise isn't it?

What is this all about God, gospels and taxes. I thought this was a thread about a council tax protestor.

Vera

Umm, Vera2010 - looks like the thread is being highjacked again.

Missed you there Rose. I doubt she would ever get any publicity going by the route of paying up and protesting. Whatever happened to the Bedroom tax protests (oh heck that's another story), I don't have her 'courage'. She could get her MP to help her out but I gather there all off on hols now.

Vera

She isnt a poor old OAP is she ? 16K in the bank isnt poor not a pot to pee in is poor no money for the gas in winter is poor, and now I am holy than thou because I dont feel sorry for her and think she shouldnt have to pay then yep your spot on I am , just like my dear old Mum had to pay her's not only did she make sure she paid her way in life most of the time she made sure at times she in her own words " was up front " ( paid in advance) ;-)

May be her supports should pay the bill save it being a burden on the rest of the honest council tax payers...just a thought :-D

I object most strongly to you labelling me "holier than thou" John

How rude!!

:-|

However I will rise above it as it is the weekend and I am enjoying the rest of my day :-D :-D

Hardly a triumvirate (google it lol)

vera2010 - one poster was going on about a vicar who did not pay taxes so I was just highlighting the fact that Christians are taught to pay - didn't mean to go on about it sorry.

There are plenty of other ways to protest in my opinion.

The point about protest I think is that it depends on numbers...yes one person can start a campaign , but it takes many people all saying the same thing to get the 'cause'' into the national consciousness if you like.

Using two points of John's as an example

"I hope you have accepted speeding and parking fines with no protest. I hope you have never been on any Aldermaston march."

If I refuse to accept a speeding charge or parking fine, I am just one person who may or may not have a 'point of principle'...if I march with 100s of others, or thousands as in the anti-war protests, or even as one of 1000s who sign a petition... it may not make a difference at that time but the ISSUE becomes important enough for people to look into it , which is what may change it in the long term.

(Edit, I was too young for Aldermarston so am using 'I' in a general sense in this last paragraph...I don't like to use 'you' because it can be interpreted as meaning someone specific...and using 'we' just prompts an accusation of being cliquey usually...and 'one' sounds a bit like I am trying to be 'posh' lol)

I loved to protest when I was student nearly 50 years ago. Investiture, English only signs in Wales, valleys being flooded for reservoirs without any local consultation. Have felt pretty annoyed about certain things since student days, but we tend to not protest when it affects your job security, wages and pension.

However, I will shortly join the unwaged and workshy after 49 years on the treadmill and hope I will be active once again in protesting. And not only on Genes chat, but wrapped up round a brazier on a cold winter's day.

And if they take my bus pass or my winter fuel allowance off me, watch out!! And if my local council does not do the job they say they are going to do (like collecting rubbish within 24 hours of when they want it put out) then I will be asking questions and sitting round my brazier (hopefully not alone). I am pretty fed up putting rubbish out before 7am each Thursday as requested and arriving home EVERY Thursday evening since 1st June and it has not been collected. On windy days, the rubbish has blown 200 yards down street from where I placed it :-( :-(