Don’t Register, Don’t Pay – Our chance to say NO to austerity
home title Posted by Campaign Reporter on Mar 19th, 2012 home title
Austerity policies are strangling the economy, destroying jobs and driving the country into even deeper recession. This is your chance to say NO to austerity.
The government’s plan to register 1.8 million households for the Household Tax is in crisis. Hundreds of thousands of households are not paying.
Tens of thousands have attended public meetings and a grassroots campaign against the tax is organised in everycounty in the state.
People power can stop them, so let’s keep the government under pressure.
People have had enough of cutbacks. They are angry at the destruction of our health service. They understand that cuts in education will deny their children and grandchil- dren a future. But with this Campaign, they are standing up and saying enough is enough!
Slashing Services to Fund Bankers
The Government claims that money raised from the household tax will fund libraries, parks and the fire service. But they won’t tell you that in order to fund the bailout they cut €170 million from the Local Gov- ernment Fund, which will close libraries, parks and fire stations.
The €3.1 billion “promissory note” bondholder payment due on 31 March equals 20 years of household tax!
Household Tax, Universal Social Charge, VAT increases – the ‘norm’ in Europe?
The government says that household taxes are “the norm” in Europe. Yet, they are al- ready taking additional tax direct from your wages through the Universal Social Charge. And at 23%, we have one of the highest VAT rates in Europe.
Septic Tank Tax – It’s the Same Fight
Septic tanks must be made safe and reach high environmental standards. But the cost must be borne through a fair, progressive tax system which makes the rich pay and NOT by mas- sively penalising ordinary families liv- ing in rural areas.
The Government Has Betrayed the People
“It is morally wrong, unjust and unfair to tax a person’s home” (Enda Kenny 1994). That promise went the way of “not one red cent for the banks without burning the bondholders” and “Labour’s way or Frankfurt’s way”. The government has broken promise after prom- ise, and just like Fianna Fáil before them are lining up with the bondholders against the or- dinary people.
Jail the Bankers
While corrupt bankers and developers are free to continue enjoying lavish lifestyles at our expense the government threaten ordinary people for daring to boycott an unjust tax used to fund an unjust bailout. But these threats can be defeated (see over for details).
Don’t Be Bullied
The government can be defeated. Already they have been forced to cut the septic tank registration fee. Hun- dreds of thousands of households have refused to register. No one can be given a big fine unless they take you to court, and with hundreds of thousands refusing to pay, they will never be able to take anything but a tiny mi- nority of non-payers to court. By organising the campaign in every community, we can ensure that nobody will go to court alone and that court cases are turned into occasions of huge political protest. In this way we can de- fend each other from government threats.
By standing together we can win!
With just a few weeks to go it is vital we all stand together. Imagine the powerful message that will be sent, if on 31st March hundreds of thousands and possibly even a million households said ‘We’re not registering and we’re not paying the household tax’!
Join the Campaign
This Campaign is the most powerful grassroots campaign seen in this country in many years. It is organised in every county and is growing daily. We can beat the Government. Don’t register. Don’t Pay. Join the Campaign today.
Hotline 1890 98 98 00 / www.nohouseholdtax.org
Let’s keep the pressure on. This is your campaign.
Come to the National Rally Against the Household Tax at 1pm on Saturday 24th March in the National Stadium, South Circular Road, Dublin 8.
Then on Saturday 31st March the Campaign will protest at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis being held at the National Convention Centre, Dublin.
