HouseHold Charge database to be used to collect Rabbitt's new "TV Tax"

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It's worrying that this database may also be used to collect Rabbitt's new blanket 'broadcast tax'.

(A new tax where everyone has to pay, whether or not they use RTÉ's services)

Another reason not to register.
 
Combining the two in to one is a logical step. Like it or not.

As regards RTE I remember an old media lecturer in college whom also worked in RTE stating that the amount of dead wood and waste in the organisation was amazing. Also the sums needed to consistently produce programs of quality were far in excess of what RTE could ever hope to raise. This is why the vast bulk of their programming are radio shows that are filmed. We just don't have to pool of viewers to fund such an organisation.
 
Yes but I'd imagine most of the 15% are renters , and now they're making it a mandatory per household tax and in 2013 will they have the database of the legal owners
 
umop3p!sdn said:
It's worrying that this database may also be used to collect Rabbitt's new blanket 'broadcast tax'.
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It's only worrying for those who intend no paying their taxes.
Bear in mind that this tax change nothing for those 85% who have been paying their tv license.
I don't see any issue there.
 
bacchus said:
It's only worrying for those who intend no paying their taxes.
Bear in mind that this tax change nothing for those 85% who have been paying their tv license.
I don't see any issue there.
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I would tend to agree, I suspect there is large scale evasion of the TV licence. Also to those that were using their PC to watch TV, it was only ever a matter of time before the system caught up. I'm just surprised it took this long.
 
But the HC tax is levied on the owner while the TV tax is properly levied on the occupier.

If they start out with muddled thinking they will end up with an awful mess in my opininion.

I think the government should keep the HC tax as the a property precursor tax and not confuse the issue with an ill thought out "TV Tax" or "Broadcast Reception Tax".
 
bacchus said:
It's only worrying for those who intend no paying their taxes.
Bear in mind that this tax change nothing for those 85% who have been paying their tv license.
I don't see any issue there.
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I do not pay for or have a TV licence.

This is because, like many other people, I do not watch TV. I stopped watching TV years ago because I thought the quality was terrible, and it was a waste of time. In fact, I believe TV is damaging to health, both mental and physical. So I do not have a TV, and do not watch TV on any device.

You do not see an issue in people like me being forced to pay this tax?
 
It is the prerogative of a state to levy taxes. What these taxes are called - TV licence, broadcast charge, income levy -, how they are charged and collected and the justification for them is up to the state to define.

In a representative democracy, which we still are, the elected government makes these decisions and if the electorate is unhappy with the decisions taken in their name, then they can vote them out at the next election. The fear of being voted out is generally sufficent to keep the elected government from taking decisions which are un-explained or too unpopular.

Of course we are in a somewhat difficult position as the previous government allowed the economy to crash spectularly and as a consequence we have lost control, temporarily I hope, over our finances - however it is still the case that the government can raise whatever taxes and charges it likes.

So the fuss over the TV license or broadcasting charge is a red herring IMHO
 
umop3p!sdn said:
I do not pay for or have a TV licence.

This is because, like many other people, I do not watch TV. I stopped watching TV years ago because I thought the quality was terrible, and it was a waste of time. In fact, I believe TV is damaging to health, both mental and physical. So I do not have a TV, and do not watch TV on any device.

You do not see an issue in people like me being forced to pay this tax?
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No television = no TV licence required

if I watch TV3 I don't pay TV3 a fee, just pay UPC, RTE's licence fee umbilical cord should be severed and viewers pay RTE either a subscription or through UPC or another provider. Enough of this licence fee/broadcasting charge.
 
jpd said:
In a representative democracy, which we still are, the elected government makes these decisions and if the electorate is unhappy with the decisions taken in their name, then they can vote them out at the next election.
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Even in what's effectively a one party state, like Ireland is?
There is essentially no difference between FF and FG.
 
ajapale said:
But the HC tax is levied on the owner while the TV tax is properly levied on the occupier.

If they start out with muddled thinking they will end up with an awful mess in my opininion.

I think the government should keep the HC tax as the a property precursor tax and not confuse the issue with an ill thought out "TV Tax" or "Broadcast Reception Tax".
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Agreed, again another tax for the owner and not the occupier.

I can see all these utility charges ending up rolled up into a form of Utility Charge that will be added on to the monthly rent. Landlords face chasing too many utility providers when a tenancy ends to ensure teh tenant has paid their charges.
 
Fiskar said:
Agreed, again another tax for the owner and not the occupier.
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This wouldn't make sense for the govt. If every council-house occupier in the country is effectively exempted from the Tubridy Tax, RTE would lose all the revenue that these people are paying in TV licences.
 
alser said:
A Tax on watching tv on a computer?? this is the last resort. There are ways to make people subscribe to watching on laptop for iplayer i.e. a password and a subscription fee.
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Frankly this is not the tax I'm worried about. Where on earth are they going to get another 3bn from for next budget? Somehow by this time next year I think this discussion will look like small potatoes.
 
The tax has to be paid by the OCCUPIER, or CONSUMER, whether they have or use a device to retrieve stuff from the airwaves or not. Once this Government gets its act together and links up all of the databases throughout its myriad of State and SemiState companies and quangos, then it should be easy peasy for them to identify who should pay this tax. If it actually replaces the TV License (which burns me, but I pay it - it all goes to pay Pat Kenny, Marian Finucane et al!) then it should not affect citizens who are compliant with payment for such services. Hopefully, any monies gathered through this tax will be distributed proportionatly to all of the service delivering companies (RTE, ITV3, all of the wonderful radio stations...).
 
theoneill said:
frankly this is not the tax i'm worried about. Where on earth are they going to get another 3bn from for next budget? Somehow by this time next year i think this discussion will look like small potatoes.
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+1
 
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