New Property Tax Won't Fix Failed Council Tax - Goldsworthy

12.01.00am GMT Thu 24th Jan 2008

Commenting on today\'s [Thursday] report from the New Local Government Network, which proposes replacing Council Tax with a Local Property Levy, Liberal Democrat Shadow Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said: "While the Government obsesses with gimmicks, most people are more concerned with how they will pay their Council Tax bill.

"This is yet another report that shows why we cannot continue with the status quo, which leaves the poorest households paying a higher proportion of their income than the richest.

"But simply tweaking Council Tax and then renaming it, as this report suggests, is not the answer. Linking local taxation exclusively to house values will continue to hit pensioners and others on low incomes the hardest.

"Instead of tinkering around the edges, the Council Tax should be axed altogether and replaced with a fair and progressive system, based on the ability to pay."