What is going to happen to our roads?
Discussion
underphil said:
Ares said:
We've pushed a low tax culture. Millions and Millions of workers pay no tax at all. Then complain we don't have Scandinavian social structure (where pretty much everyone pays tax).
The notion of a £12,000 personal allowance is a great move....and takes anyone on minimum wage out of tax, and still give them extra top-up benefits - but it reduces the amount of tax collected. Can't have it both ways.
pretty much everyone in Scandinavia may pay tax, but worth noting that their minimum wage is generally more than double ours!The notion of a £12,000 personal allowance is a great move....and takes anyone on minimum wage out of tax, and still give them extra top-up benefits - but it reduces the amount of tax collected. Can't have it both ways.
The league table of minimum wages in Europe is topped by Switzerland, then Luxembourg, France, Ireland, Belgium, Germany then the UK.
Norway is the highest payer in Scandinavia, and is often cited as the perfect social economy. Norway does pay well.... Despite not having minimum wages, the average low-skilled worker will be earning €12-15/hr. BUT, everyone pays significantly more tax.
The personal allowance is less than £400 after which everyone pays a flat rate of 24% (UK 20%). If you earn above £15,000, you pay and extra 1.4%, earn over £22,000 that goes to an extra 3.3%. At c£50,000 there's an extra 12% and above £90,000 an extra 15.5%.
They are the most taxed nation in Europe, so whilst everyone earns more, they lose more. The average person loses almost half of their income in personal tax, earners over £90,000 lose 64% including statutory social security contributions, and then everyone pays VAT at 25%.
The non-autobahn roads around here near Hamburg are showing similar damage from winter, heavy rutting from HGV, although here they don't try to repair by simply filling holes with gravel!
Chucking loose gravel into a hole is wasting money. Giving more money to the Local Authority that thinks this is a suitable solution will not help. A less idiotic LA is needed to make it work.
Seems like most public services are bloated but the fat can't be trimmed because the benefits bill would quadruple as all the useless types pour onto the unemployed/unemployable list.
Chucking loose gravel into a hole is wasting money. Giving more money to the Local Authority that thinks this is a suitable solution will not help. A less idiotic LA is needed to make it work.
Seems like most public services are bloated but the fat can't be trimmed because the benefits bill would quadruple as all the useless types pour onto the unemployed/unemployable list.
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