Latest Moan From You and Me 2025

Income tax is, in theory, levied at national level to pay for national services @ViewAhead. Rates are to cover local services which is why, at election time, the Conservatives always point out their generally lower rate levels and the high rated in Labor areas.

I do think that if payslips detailed the percentage or amount of a person's monthly income tax was spent on NHS/education/police services/defence/public transport and infrastructure/civil service there may be a concentration of minds on getting value for money and priorities adjusted. The same with local council taxes - if everyone knew, for example, how much is wasted picking up litter people may be more inclined to leave Britain tidy and if they knew how much it costs to police a football match they may behave better and demand that the clubs contribute to policing their fans.

 

@pete, the number of pet dogs has risen from 7 million to 14 million in the space of half a decade. That is a massive increase which requires Council expenditure. Now dogs have to be chipped, a licence scheme could be made to work.

I understand the theory of income tax, @Obelix-Vendée. No system is written in stone, however. If it's broke, change it.

 

I'm hoping the dog thing is a temporary blip due to Covid. The lockdown puppies are mid-life now and will be dying out in the next 10 years. Will people who got them on an impulse decide not to replace them, given the expense and the tie? The animal rescues are already at bursting point which suggests this may be the case.

 

Some people moved in across the road from me 2 yrs ago.
It was only back in the summer I noticed they have a dog, it was looking through the slats of a back gate.
They have two small kids and are out all day.
I've never seen them take the dog out and still rarely see it.

They certainly don't need it.
Probably bought on a whim.

 

@Escarpment, we can but hope.

 

You're lucky it's not a barker!

 

Its probably lost the will to live.

 

If people were required to pay an appropriate licence fee for their pets - this should include cats - perhaps they may become more aware of their responsibility for the welfare and safety of them.
Goes without saying there will always be those who don't give a damn - much the same as those who drive without tax/insurance, milk the benefits system and so on but may give some folk cause to think before acquiring a pet they cannot either really afford or deal with.
Taking it a step further, perhaps introduce a licence for children too

 

I certainly think many people would benefit from parenting classes @Philippa but absolutely yes to licenses for pet oawnership with a requirement to chip, vaccinate and neuter with restrictions on breeding permits.

 

I've had dogs all my life and completely agree with the need for a licence. I also think they should have their dna taken so fouls can be fined if they aren't picked up. I believe Israel did something like this. As a responsible owner it really annoys the hell out of me that people just leave it on the pavement or fling it into trees in bags.
I do think that dogs get unfairly demonised when compared to cats though because the neighbourhood cats crap everywhere and the owners don't give it a moments thought about where it's done. There are about the same number of cats and dogs in the uk, so that's a lot of crap.

 

I'd love to have paths like that around here @shiney . The local ones were relaid a couple of years ago with a tarmac that is so smooth, like plaster, that any ice forming on them is lethal. They don't seem to shed water very well, so most people have to walk in the road all winter. A rough finish would really be nice.

 

Most of the roads in our village don’t have any pathways at all. Our (longish) cul de sac does have a pavement on one side, plus street lighting. However, once you get to the junction, the ‘main’ road has no path and no lighting in either direction! The lane opposite has no pathways but does have street lighting, and at the far end, joins another road with no street lighting. I don’t really understand the logic of this! The two unlit roads are the most used routes through the village, with no paths, no lights and steep hills to add to the fun.
However, if we want to go out for a walk on dark evenings, we can walk to the far end of the lane opposite, and back, without having to take a torch! Also, in the warmer months, it’s a good place to see bats, collecting the insects that congregate under the lights. Some of the bats are huge!
Unfortunately, the pavement in our road is on the shady side of the street, so frequently covered in moss. As there are only ten houses, it’s usually safer to walk in the road, unless the grumpy bloke with the sports car, sucking on his ‘inhaler’, decides to head out somewhere!

 

I'd love to have green fields around me and decent view of the countryside.

Whether I had street lighting or tarmac paths wouldn't bother me, its strange how people who live in villages or the countryside seem to want to turn it into towns, but then when the developers turn up its a different story.

 

We have to advise visitors to our holiday cottage in Scotland that they would do well to bring a torch. There are plenty of power cuts, too... it seems to be a surprise to many, that there are still places in the UK without street lighting.