Scottish tax option needs to be explored
Scottish tax option needs to be explored
0 Comments | Herald, The; Glasgow (UK), Jul 26, 2010
In the 1997 Devolution Referendum: voters were asked whether the Scottish Parliament should have tax varying powers, and by a clear majority they agreed to this provision, which gives Holyrood the ability to vary the standard rate of income tax up or down by three pence in the pound.
It is striking that in the discussion about the substantial cuts being planned by the current and previous UK governments neither the Scottish Government nor the other parties appear to have paid much attention to this option as a way of compensating for part of the forthcoming reduction in the Holyrood block grant.
Have we reached the stage where the constant use of the phrase “tax burden” (who talks about the “school crossing patrol burden” or “the refuse collection burden”?) has paralysed political will? And might a contributory factor be that for far too long Britain politicians have conspired to deceive themselves that it is possible to have Scandinavian levels of public services without paying Scandinavian levels of tax?
Whatever the explanation, the option of raising Scottish income tax now needs to be explored.
David Hutchison,
56 Ritchie Street, West Kilbride, Ayrshire.