HOUSEHOLD TAX CAN BE DEFEATED SLIGO MEETING TOLD

THE GOVERNMENT'S new household charge can be defeated through a nationally organised campaign of mass non-payment, the Socialist Party Deputy Mr Joe Higgins, told a Public Meeting organised by the Campaign against Household and Water Charges in Sligo last night.

“The household charge is part and parcel of the government and EU/IMF diet of cutbacks that has seen a slashing of our living standards and has only helped deepen the economic crisis.” he said.

“This new tax will be charged at a flat rate. So a millionaire living in a mansion will pay the same rate of household tax as a workers living in a modest house. This is deeply unjust and is yet another example of the government trying to force ordinary people t o pay for the greed of the rich

“The government expects each household to register for this tax and to send the annual tax payment directly to the government. So the most effective way to defeat the household tax is through a mass campaign of non-payment. We can simply refuse to pay this unjust tax.” Deputy Higgins told the meeting.

Independent Socialist councillor Declan Bree told the meeting that “The new household charge, like the universal social charge, and the ongoing cuts in health and public services is in essence a form of collective punishment against the great majority of Irish people who are being forced by government to pay the private debts of speculators, developers and bankers.

“The proposed household charge is unfair, it is unjust, it is immoral and it must be resisted.” Cllr Bree told the meeting.