SSP Research, Policy & Media Unit
Press Release: 30/01/06

The Scottish Parliament faces its biggest test in its 7 year life when Tommy Sheridan’s Council Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill is fully debated and voted on this Wednesday, 1st February.
The bill would abolish the council tax and introduce an income based Scottish Service Tax that would see massive wealth re-distribution across Scotland.
At a press conference in Glasgow today, Monday, Tommy Sheridan was joined by the Poverty Alliance and Scottish Pensioners' Forum alongside the public services union PCS, Rail & Maritime union RMT and the Fire Brigades Union FBU in support of the bill.

Tommy said afterwards;
“The Scottish Parliament faces its biggest challenge since it was set up in 1999.
“Do we have the courage and moral fibre to scrap a tax that hammers the low paid and pensioners but pampers the rich and wealthy?
“Do we ignore the shameful plight of thousands of low paid workers and pensioners who struggle to pay the ever increasing council tax ?
“The 83% of Scottish households living on less than £40,000 are the ones who will gain from the income based Scottish Service Tax while the wealthy will pay more.
“It is called income re-distribution and it is long overdue in Scotland.
“The time for rebellion is now.”
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The Council Tax Abolition and Service Tax Introduction (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament in August 2003, printed in November 2004 and faced committee scrutiny during 2005.

The bill will be debated in the Scottish Parliament at 2.15pm on Wednesday 1st February