The Cavalry of the Household Charge

[Baron von Biffo]

"A chara, – With the news that the imminent property tax will be value-based, I look forward to the announcement of a “Dublin Weighting Allowance”, which I am certain must now be introduced to address the inherent unfairness of my colleague who works in rural Ireland being paid the same as me but whose home is valued at less that mine. – Yours, etc,"

So says a letter writer in the IT today.

No doubt the letter was heavily edited by the paper to remove references to the 'inherent unfairness' in telling people in rural areas to FOAD when their hospitals are closed or to the lack of public transport or closure of schools and garda stations and other similar issues.

http://www.irishtimes.com/letters/in...#1224323095193

[Sam Lord]

I would like to bring to the attention of readers the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation of Ontario. It is a non-profit entity, funded by the local authorities in Ontario, which assesses the value of 4.8 million properties (residential, commercial, industrial, farm, etc.) for the purposes of property tax which goes to local government to provide services and to fund education. It does this at a cost of less than 30 Euros per property which comes out of the tax and is not an additional burden to taxpayers.

http://www.mpac.on.ca/about/corporat...about_mpac.asp

I would note that I am not advocating the introduction of property tax in Ireland nor giving a view on what sort of tax there should be if one is introduced. I am simply bringing this to the attention of readers because I fear (given knowledge of how Ireland is run generally) that whatever system the Irish government introduces will be a bonanza to private Estate Agents, Auctioneers (and whoever else the government establishes as a suitable party to conduct valuations) and a significant additional cost to taxpayers.

[barrym]

Could I suggest a means of scuppering the charge? Everybody puts their house on the market and that way they get a valuation??

[Baron von Biffo]

Only 4% have registered for the unjust septic tank tax.

Hogan can use service withdrawal as a stick to get compliance with the HC but since the septic tank tax primarily affects rural people that threat is worthless.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/o...on-565030.html

[Dr. FIVE]

Just had a knock on the door from GalwayCC checking the electoral register was correct.

Standard procedure when there is nothing much on?

Hardly referendum related given this kind of attention to detail wouldn't even be going on even if had the wording. Locals are a two years away.
Are they making sure their list of occupants is up to date I wonder.

[PaddyJoe]

Just had a knock on the door from GalwayCC checking the electoral register was correct.

Standard procedure when there is nothing much on?

Hardly referendum related given this kind of attention to detail wouldn't even be going on even if had the wording. Locals are a two years away.
Are they making sure their list of occupants is up to date I wonder.

Hardly standard procedure on a late Friday evening. Sure it wasn't an impostor casing the gaffe for valuable gems and the like?
Cork Co Co issued a warning today on fake household charge collectors on the prowl again

[Dr. FIVE]

Seemed legit.

[La Chime]

Just had a knock on the door from GalwayCC checking the electoral register was correct.

Standard procedure when there is nothing much on?

Hardly referendum related given this kind of attention to detail wouldn't even be going on even if had the wording. Locals are a two years away.
Are they making sure their list of occupants is up to date I wonder.

Doesn,t surprise me- a good few weeks ago I had a
knock on the door from a council official, he would of being his fifties had a
clipboard with him-when I answered the door he said may I ask the names of those
living here, how many living in the house, it for the voting register he said-I
told him Im not answering any of your questions-please leave my property-he left
and went next door-Some other people I know had someone from the council knock on their doors recently asking ,how many lived at the address, is this your residency home or do you rent here, is everyone at this address on the voting register, def an Intel gathering exercise probaly for next years property tax when they re asking how many lives at a certain address plus asking is this your residency home or do you rent here-- I told a good few people about the guy knocking on my door a good few weeks ago so other people I know told council officials to leave their property when they arrived asking all those questions.

[PaddyJoe]

Doesn,t surprise me- a good few weeks ago I had a
knock on the door from a council official, he would of being his fifties had a
clipboard with him-when I answered the door he said may I ask the names of those
living here, how many living in the house, it for the voting register he said-I
told him Im not answering any of your questions-please leave my property-he left
and went next door-Some other people I know had someone from the council knock on their doors recently asking ,how many lived at the address, is this your residency home or do you rent here, is everyone at this address on the voting register, def an Intel gathering exercise probaly for next years property tax when they re asking how many lives at a certain address plus asking is this your residency home or do you rent here-- I told a good few people about the guy knocking on my door a good few weeks ago so other people I know told council officials to leave their property when they arrived asking all those questions.

Welcome, La Chime
Are you worried about the Household Charge/Tax?

[barrym]

MUCH more important, IMO, under what legislation are they operating?? If it had been me I'd have sent them packing AND asked the Information Commissioner to investigate.

Police state tactics.

[barrym]

Could I suggest a means of scuppering the charge? Everybody puts their house on the market and that way they get a valuation??

I wasn't joking, you aren't obliged to sell but it sure as hell would kill the valuation argument.

I spoke to a local auctioneer with the idea of doing it and I made the mistake of contacting one who is a local pol..... doh!! He asked me straight away why was I selling and I said I was 'thinking of' moving abroad. He said, don't sell now, wait until you get a valuation from the household charge....

I presume he is hoping all the ships will rise when the tide created by the charge come in....Only a Hogan clone could be so stupid....

Any takers for the idea of swamping the market??

[C. Flower]

...fake household charge collectors on the prowl again

[Dr. FIVE]

Protest at Clare County Council this evening. They have announced students from non compliant homes will receive no grants

[Dr. FIVE]

Nuigsu

nui galway students’ union condemns clare county council for withholding grants

nui galway students’ union has condemned clare county council for refusing to process students’ grants unless they provide proof that their household charge has been paid. Clare county council has confirmed that it has written to third level grant applicants requesting proof that they have paid the household charge.
According to the council, applicants who have paid the household charge will have no unnecessary delay in the payment of their grant.

Nui galway students’ union will picket the offices of clare county council this afternoon to highlight the anger and disgust of its students who will be affected by this action.

Nui galway students’ union president paul curley said:
“the decision of clare county council is a short sighted and ridiculous move that won’t benefit anybody. Students are being held to ransom because the county council can’t get its house in order to collect a charge that has no connection whatsoever to third level maintenance grants. The payment of third level grants, which have already suffered massive cuts, is already late and this terrible attempt at efficiency is only going to make things worse”

“students don’t own houses and linking the payment of the household charge to their grants is a cheap shot. It’s on the same level as requesting proof of payment of the household charge before dispatching the fire brigade to a house fire. We call on clare county council to abandon this badly thought out plan and process students’ grant applications as a priority”

[Baron von Biffo]

Nuigsu

nui galway students’ union condemns clare county council for withholding grants

nui galway students’ union has condemned clare county council for refusing to process students’ grants unless they provide proof that their household charge has been paid. Clare county council has confirmed that it has written to third level grant applicants requesting proof that they have paid the household charge.
According to the council, applicants who have paid the household charge will have no unnecessary delay in the payment of their grant.

Nui galway students’ union will picket the offices of clare county council this afternoon to highlight the anger and disgust of its students who will be affected by this action.

Nui galway students’ union president paul curley said:
“the decision of clare county council is a short sighted and ridiculous move that won’t benefit anybody. Students are being held to ransom because the county council can’t get its house in order to collect a charge that has no connection whatsoever to third level maintenance grants. The payment of third level grants, which have already suffered massive cuts, is already late and this terrible attempt at efficiency is only going to make things worse”

“students don’t own houses and linking the payment of the household charge to their grants is a cheap shot. It’s on the same level as requesting proof of payment of the household charge before dispatching the fire brigade to a house fire. We call on clare county council to abandon this badly thought out plan and process students’ grant applications as a priority”

Does NUIGSU outsource production of its statements to primary school kids?