People want a Local Income Tax not a Council Tax - BBC poll (Birmingham Liberal Democrats)

Birmingham Liberal Democrats <info@birminghamlibdems.org.uk>

People want a Local Income Tax not a Council Tax - BBC poll

March 8, 2007 2:18 PM

Most people think that the current system of Council Tax is unfair, a BBC poll suggests. Of 840 adults interviewed across England, 59% said basing the tax on eight property price bands was unfair. A similar percentage - 60% - said they were in favour of replacing the current tax with a local income tax. It has been Liberal Democrat policy for a long time to replace Council Tax with a Local Income Tax.

The opinion poll was conducted by polling firm NOP about two weeks ahead of a report by Sir Michael Lyons on the future of taxation. Property bands are currently based on the value of properties in 1991 and fail to take into account sharp increases in property prices or home improvements adding value. Council Tax also fails to take ability to pay into consideration.