business rates valuation

[Terry - Somerset]

A few fundamental principles in which I believe, even if some politicians believe they are just flexible barriers to getting what they want:

- public services are funded through taxation
- like individuals and companies the books need to balance
- it is not tenable to borrow ever larger amounts of money

Business rates are taxation. It is entirely legitimate to question how they are set, who is accountable and responsible. But if the total take from business rates falls which public services will be cut, or which other taxes should be raised.

Simply shouting "it's not fair" is not a solution. Nobody (or very few) like paying taxes. Those impacted by any change will have opposing deeply held beliefs in the consequences.

 

[Rorschach]

A few fundamental principles in which I believe, even if some politicians believe they are just flexible barriers to getting what they want:

- public services are funded through taxation
- like individuals and companies the books need to balance
- it is not tenable to borrow ever larger amounts of money

Business rates are taxation. It is entirely legitimate to question how they are set, who is accountable and responsible. But if the total take from business rates falls which public services will be cut, or which other taxes should be raised.

Simply shouting "it's not fair" is not a solution. Nobody (or very few) like paying taxes. Those impacted by any change will have opposing deeply held beliefs in the consequences.

I agree entirely. I am not against taxation in principle (though I am all for smaller government and greater free enterprise), but I am against a taxation system that favours large companies who can employ clever accountants to minimise their tax expenditure while smaller companies and individuals are by comparison taxed more.