SHERIDAN TO HAND MCCONNELL SERVICE TAX BILL
Press photographers welcome! Tomorrow, Thursday 24 April at 11 a.m. Tommy Sheridan, Convenor of the Scottish Socialist Party and Colin Fox, Lothians Top-of-the-List SSP Candidate, will knock on the door of Bute House, Edinburgh. They will be joined by other SSP members from Edinburgh who will compare their council tax bills with those of the First Minister and then present him with his Scottish Service Tax Bill, the SSP’s replacement for the council tax.

Sheridan said,
“Our proposal is much fairer than the regressive council tax, which the SSP will abolish, because it is based on an individual’s actual income and therefore, ability to pay. Jack and Bridget McConnell have annual salaries of £118,000 and £90,000 respectively but their Council Tax bill is only £1,545 per year. That is clearly grossly unfair.

Under the Scottish Service Tax, however, they would pay £16,700 and £11,100 respectively because they can afford it. The Scottish Service Tax, will start to redistribute wealth in Scotland from the rich and overpaid, like our MSPs to the poor, the pensioners and the low-paid”.

Editors: See case studies below for comparison of council tax and Service Tax bills:

Graeme Birtley [SSP Council Candidate in Edinburgh] is a fire-fighter. He lives in a flat in West Pilton and his Council tax band C bill is £1,211. His salary is £21,500 and his SST bill would be £517.50 [4.5% of £11,500 – N.B. the first £10,000 of an individual’s salary is exempt and the next £20,000 taxed at 4.5%]. His annual savings under the Service Tax would be £693.50, while his average monthly savings would be £57,80.

Barbara Scott [SSP Council candidate in Fountainbridge] is a clerical secretary from Edinburgh. Her council tax band B bill is £991 after her single person discount. Her salary is £17,500 and her SST would be £337.5, thus saving her £635.50. Her average monthly saving would therefore be £54.46

Derek Durkin [SSP candidate in Edinburgh East and Musselburgh] is a postal worker. His Council tax band D annual bill is £1,415. Derek's salary last year was £16,380. His SST bill is £287.10 [4.5% of £6,380]. His annual saving would be £1,127.90 and his average monthly saving £93.99.
[ends]
For further information contact Tommy Sheridan on 07887 795075 or Hugh Kerr on 01620 890518/07713 063647