BRC reacts angrily to local business tax proposals |
| Tuesday, 17 July 2007 | |||||
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Retailers will become "voteless cash-cows" if local authorities are given the power to directly tax businesses to fund projects, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned. Reacting to today's Treasury review, Enhancing the Effectiveness of Sub-national Economic Development and Regeneration, the BRC said it was concerned the Government is still considering giving local authorities the power to levy supplementary business rates. The supplementary tax would be used to fund major projects like city tramways and rail systems. The BRC said such a tax would be open to widespread abuse and that local authorities would take advantage of the system to tax businesses to pay for projects which should be provided through existing budgets. It called on the Government to rule out the introduction of such a system. "Retailers already contribute £4.5bn to local authorities through business rates each year," the BRC said. "Businesses would also have no useful means of protest because they do not have a vote." Supplementary business rates would also create an uneven playing field between retailers. Shops on opposite sides of the street could be paying different rates of tax, the association complained. Related Articles
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Sami Sabet
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It would seem that l... It would seem that local authorities and government are bent on destroying British industry, and small businesses. All these extra payments demanded of business is probably seen as a "get money quickly and easily to cover ineffeciencies. Also, if we look carefully, we find that salaries for Senior posts in the Government sector have rocketed in recent years. Very easy to increaes salaries as much as required and taking the money from various "taxes"......small businesses might as well be held at gun point with "protection money" being demanded from them. And the law is with the "robber". |
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