Taxation without representation

My area council have published this year’s rates, poll tax or community charge as some call it in the local newspaper. Quite frankly it’s a stupid amount of money for services rendered. The council state they’ve improved the town and cleaned up the centre but they’ve chose to ignore the outer area’s that need attention and rejuvenation the most. Some years ago I really loved my town, I felt it was something to be proud of but these days I just loathe it. The local council boast of new initiatives but what I see when I open my local paper is the mayor on his usual rounds of hand shaking and posing for pictures at local events or with other dignitaries. Mayor, I’ve got a suggestion for you – wake up and smell the coffee! Get out there and talk to real people, listen to them and get behind a desk and do some work – forget posing for the press. Its just isn’t me that’s not seeing improvements, everyone I know has some issue or other at the moment. Last year the council put a sign outside my flat that stated ‘no ball games’. Within two hours of it going up the local thugs pulled it down. I rang the council and told them what had happened and they did… you guessed it – nothing.

Still paying my tax will at least pay towards some local council member to go on a fact finding mission to Barbados – all expenses paid.