GLASWEGIANS STAND TO GAIN MOST FROM SSP SERVICE TAX PROPOSAL

The Scottish Service Tax proposal to abolish the unfair council tax and replace it with a fairer and more progressive income-based system would benefit Glaswegians more than any other part of Scotland.

Detailed analysis of the Service Tax proposal reveals that 77% of Scottish households would benefit from the Scottish Service Tax. However, within Glasgow 85% would be better off. The reason Glaswegians benefit so much from the Service Tax is the combination of low pay and high council tax which haunts the city.

Tommy Sheridan, Scottish Socialist Party MSP and Convenor, said today,
”The Scottish Service Tax proposal is a major anti-poverty initiative. By scrapping the unfair council tax and replacing it with a Service Tax based on personal income, we effect a wealth transfusion in Scotland from the wealthy and the millionaires to the pensioners and low paid. A massive 77% of households across Scotland benefit from the Service Tax, but Glaswegians benefit the most. 85% of Glasgow’s households would pay less under our system and therefore have more disposable income available for food, clothes and other important expenditure.

The Scottish Service Tax is not only fairer than the council tax, but easier to collect, more transparent and generates more income for local government jobs and services. The wealthiest 16% of Scots would pay more but they can afford it and have benefited from two decades of tax cuts for the rich introduced by Thatcher, Major and Blair. It’s time they paid their share.”

The Scottish Service Tax proposal will be fully debated tomorrow at 11 a.m.

For more information, contact Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075 or Hugh Kerr on 0131 348 5631/07713 063647