What about a campaign to encourage people to pay the Household Charge?

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Brendan Burgess

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I would imagine that the vast majority of people support the household charge and other taxes, even if they don't like paying them.

But the protests by the vocal minority who oppose them get a lot of attention.

How would those of us who support the charge campaign in its favour?

Here are some ideas -

Maybe organise a day in mid March "Pay your Household Charge today"
Issue stickers "I have paid my household charge"
Help relatives and neighbours who don't have internet access to pay online.
Put up posters
 
Brendan Burgess said:
I would imagine that the vast majority of people support the household charge and other taxes, even if they don't like paying them.
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What makes you imagine that given that the facts show that [broken link removed] 12% of people have paid so far?

Just given those figures and todays date being March 9th Id say that that shows that the vast majority of people do NOT support the household charge.
 
jhegarty said:
Sounds like something that would have the same effect as a DoS attack on the site.
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What? If everyone tried to pay on the same day, the site would crash?

I would be delighted if the campaign was so successful that this happenened.

This is going to happen anyway in the last few days of March when people go to pay it.

Brendan
 

There is a big difference between the number of people who support it and the number of people who have paid it.

I didn't get around to paying it until yesterday, but I have always supported the tax.

Most people tend to leave things to the last minute. Witness the rush for income tax towards the middle of November.

Brendan
 
No offence Brendan but imho you might as well go around with a "Be a good citizen there now" campaign as essentially I think that is how it would be viewed. (Most) people are fully aware of this charge and for whatever reason have decided not to pay it yet (and I doubt it is because they are swayed by the vocal minority as they are well aware that any penalties will be owed by them, not just the vocal minority!). As truthseeker pointed out, this suggests that your original assumption is wrong.
 
Brendan Burgess said:
There is a big difference between the number of people who support it and the number of people who have paid it.
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Perhaps you know more than me then. I can only speak based on the figures I see.

Ancedotally, I personally know no one who supports it, although I do know one person who has paid it.
 
I agree with Brendan... We have a government which is making good efforts in a difficult situation and should be supported. Indeed, if there was much more support for government in many other areas instead of the constant stream of negativity, the whole country would benefit.

I will be paying my household tax today
 
Most people tend to leave things to the last minute.
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Brendan, if that's the case then there is no need for a campaign.

I think a campaign would be patronising to the public, a bit like having an employee of the month award or a sticker for best boy in the class.

There is little support for this tax because of where the money will go...
 
"Death and taxes". Certainties, but neither are issues that the vast majority of us support. While agreeing that I don't see the charge itself as being a major issue, it will be interesting to note the Government response to non-payers.
There will probably be a significant upsurge in payers by the end of the month, but there is still likely to be a significant element of those who don't pay. Not necessarily because they are against it, but they are hoping that it will just go away! Government action towards non payers will be interesting as this is the first "voluntary" tax that has become payable for some time in Ireland. (ignoring car tax & TV licence which are policed).
 
I would support a campaign to encourage people to pay the household charge if it ran in tandem with a campaign to encourage county councils to stop wasting money ! The opulence of the new €40 million plus Wexford County Council building is beyond belief.
 
If the vast majority support the charge, why would you need a campaign to encourage them to pay it?

I paid it because it is a tax imposed by a democratically elected Government. No different to raising income tax. I certainly don't agree that someone living in a one bed shoe box who is already paying management fees for various services should pay the same charge as someone living in 25 bedroom mansion even if this is supposedly only temporary. It is a lazy regressive tax.
 
The shoe box might be a mortgage free asset, the mansion could be a negative equity liability.
 
Sunny said:
If the vast majority support the charge, why would you need a campaign to encourage them to pay it?
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As I said

I would imagine that the vast majority of people support the household charge and other taxes, even if they don't like paying them.
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I may be wrong and perhaps only a minority believe that they should pay their taxes, that in some way, taxes are optional.

The campaign would encourage those who are undecided and would prompt those who agree to pay it on time.

Brendan
 
I don't have a problem with it in theory once they deduct all the stamp duty I paid and THEN start charging me annually. How many people paid 30k stamp duty in the last number of years and are now going to be asked for more.

Its a good idea but it needs to be laid out fairly - in my opinion.
 
"Issue stickers "I have paid my household charge"

This must rank right up there with yesterdays aborted Fine Gael celebration on the offensive and ludicrous idea scale.
 

Stamp duty is a transaction tax, the household charge is a different animal entirely, so I don't really see the logic of that.
 
This is pure mad. Mad Ted!

I don't know of one person who has paid or intends to pay. Frankly I support the non payers.
 
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