![\"\"](\"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/tax_changes-300x240.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTax. No one wants to pay it but everyone wants what it is able to provide. That’s life.<\/p>\n
What also seems to be life, in this modern world, is that the Nationalists seem to keep upsetting the Unionists.<\/p>\n
Last week this was extremely evident at the budget presentation. The unionists thought they had all worked out what was going to happen and had all prepared their speeches beforehand. Nasty nationalists had not leaked what their intentions were. Result…………….very embarrassing, unionist leaders were unable to think on their feet. They read out their prepared statements and as such, much of what they said was irrelevant. They seemed to think there were only 2 alternatives. Not to raise taxes or to raise by 5p for the higher earners.<\/p>\n
This is why the SNP are still the governing party. They step back from the way it has always been done and think out of the box. Why could there only be 2 alternatives? Simply because that’s what the other parties keep saying? All of these parties have been in government in Westminster and Westminster is well over its head in debt.<\/p>\n
At each cost cutting made by Westminster the cry from the unionist parties in Scotland has been to use powers to cushion the blow to the people of Scotland. In some circumstances the Scottish government has managed this from their budget given by Westminster. When there was no more wriggle room the Tories shouted to use the tax raising powers. Sounds good shouting it in the debating chamber, but turns out the Tories don’t want to pay any more taxes. Labour aren’t too keen on it either. So what is the alternative? Keep borrowing till we can no longer afford to pay back? Is this the Tory plan, to bankrupt the Scottish government and then do away with it?<\/p>\n
At the moment I do not benefit from many of the free things that is making life more bearable for many people in Scotland, BUT some of my loved ones do. I would not like to remove them because we can no longer afford them. I would rather pay a few more pounds a year to ensure my loved ones are comfortable. In the case of prescription charges, bringing these back would result in the early deaths of many people who could not afford all their multiple prescriptions. Better to do without an expensive luxury that you do not really need rather than see your loved ones struggle to control their medical condition because they cannot afford all their medications. Then again maybe you would be kind enough to pay their prescriptions for them.<\/p>\n
I came across a neat table on social media the other day that explains how much each pay category would be affected by the budget. Not really as bad as the Tories are making out, is it?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I received a press release on Monday that listed some of the myths the Tories are telling and the busted replies. You may be interested so I am including it here. Feel free to share this information.<\/p>\n
TORY FACT CHECK<\/strong><\/p>\n TORY CLAIM #1:<\/strong> FACT CHECK:<\/strong> TORY CLAIM #2:<\/strong> FACT CHECK:<\/strong> TORY CLAIM #3:<\/strong> FACT CHECK:<\/strong> TORY CLAIM #4:<\/strong> FACT CHECK:<\/strong> As all taxpayers benefit from the lower starter band, you will need to earn \u00a333k or more to pay more income tax \u2013 not \u00a324k.<\/p>\n TORY CLAIM #5<\/strong> FACT CHECK:<\/strong> LBTT is a progressive replacement for Stamp Duty, which saw 90% of tax payers better or no worse off than under UK Stamp Duty Land Tax at its introduction. It was announced in the budget that first time buyers will benefit from LBTT relief up to \u00a3175,000, taking 80% of first-time buyers out of LBTT altogether. Tax. No one wants to pay it but everyone wants what it is able to provide. That’s life. What also seems to be life, in this modern world, is that the Nationalists seem to keep upsetting the Unionists. Last week this was extremely evident at the budget presentation. The unionists thought they had all worked out what was going to happen and had all prepared their speeches beforehand. Nasty nationalists had not leaked what their intentions were. Result…………….very embarrassing, unionist leaders were unable to think on their feet. They read out their prepared statements and as such, much of what they said was irrelevant. TheyRead More →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2016"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2016"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2021,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2016\/revisions\/2021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scotsindependent.scot\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nRuth Davidson: \u201cWorkers across Scotland are going to have to pay more tax than those in the rest of the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nA majority of taxpayers in Scotland \u2013 55% \u2013 will pay less tax in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.<\/p>\n
\nMurdo Fraser: \u201cDerek Mackay\u2019s announcement confirmed that anyone in Scotland earning over \u00a326,000 would be hit by higher taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nSomeone earning \u00a326k will pay LESS tax next year than they do this year. Nobody earning less than \u00a333k, some \u00a35k above the average full-time salary, will pay more income tax next year.<\/p>\n
\nMurdo Fraser: \u201cWhilst we all agree that the broadest shoulders should bear the biggest burden, this should only happen if tax revenues increase and so far evidence suggests otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOur decisions made on tax will raise \u00a3362 million to spend on public services.
\nThe Scottish Fiscal Commission project tax revenue to increase in each year for the next 5 years.
\nClick here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for the summary of tax forecasts.<\/p>\n
\nJamie Greene: \u201cA Nat Tax on anyone earning over \u00a324 grand\u201d<\/p>\n
\nSomeone earning \u00a324k will play LESS tax next year than they do this year. The introduction of two new bands \u2013 a 19p starter band at \u00a311,850 and an intermediate 21p band at \u00a324k \u2013 make the tax system fairer and more proportionate to ability to pay.<\/p>\n
\nDean Lockhart: \u201cAlready hit by council tax rises and LBTT, these highly skilled workers may well go elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nCouncil Tax bills are lower in Scotland than in England by an average of \u00a3300-400. This is just one of the reasons why taxpayers in Scotland get the best deal in the UK.<\/p>\n
\nFinally, this will be the last blog before Christmas. We at the Scots Independent (on-line and newspaper) would like to wish all our readers and subscribers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks for being with us and supporting us. Here’s to another year of spreading the pro independence cause, and remember to nip those Tory lies in the bud at all your festive gatherings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"