The REGIONAL RATEPAYERS REBELLION

The campaign fighting the Auckland Regional Council's rating polices and rates increases

MEDIA RELEASE - 9 March 2004

RATES REVOLT IN ENGLAND GOES TO COURT

I have just received the latest information on a Council Tax (rates) revolt in England which is at the stage where local councils are now taking residents to court for non-payment of Council Tax.

The campagn against the Council Tax is being co-ordinated by a group known as IsItFair.co.uk which is also proposing a new loacl tax system which reflects ability to pay - on eof the key issues in the Ratepayers Rebellion campaign in Auckland.

Two items of news from IsItFair were emailed to me today as follows;-

Update on Sylvia Hardy:-

Exeter City Council has decided to enforce the Liability Order it obtained against one of our members, Sylvia Hardy. This was obtained at the Magistrates Court in Exeter on Wednesday 25th February 2004 and amounts to £116.28.

She has until 19th March 2004 to pay and if she still refuses the collection agency (bailiffs) will be instructed to collect the debt. On the day that the bailiffs go to enforce collection, DPAF supported by Isitfair will mount a rally outside Sylvia's home and make certain that the bailiffs will not be able to enter the premises. This will be a peaceful demonstration of our intention to give every support to all those who find themselves in a similar position.

WAR VETERAN'S COUNCIL TAX PROTEST

A 70 year old pensioner and his wife have been summonsed to appear at High Wycombe magistrates court at 1.30 PM on Wednesday 17th March 2004, for non-payment of arrears of Council Tax.

War veteran Terry Price and his wife Pauline are adamant that the present iniquitous system of Council Tax, which takes no account of a person's ability to pay, must be scrapped. IsItFair.co.uk will be supporting Terry and Pauline at their Court appearance in High Wycombe next Wednesday 17th March

The British Government is now looking at new options for local authority funding - including a form of local income tax and a property charge ends

Contact, campaign spokesman, DAVID THORNTON [Chairman of the Glenfield Ratepayers]
email david@Kandu.co.nz

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>