Letter in today’s Irish Times.
When I read the particular Editorial referred to by the letter writer I came to the same conclusion.
The Editorial, and a number of other editorials on the same matter, reflect a deep and damaging ultra conservatism in the Irish media.
Sir,
Your Editorial on property tax is sheer nonsense. “We are living beyond our means”, it begins. Yes we are.
But the problem is not a lack of property tax: as anyone who has paid stamp duty knows,
Irish home-owners have been royally fleeced in recent years.
The reason is that as the Local Government Efficiency Review Group has identified, at a very minimum €511 million is being wasted on excessive layers of local government and hierarchy, waste which that report – commissioned by government – recommended be ended.
You could have used your Editorial to urge government to eliminate waste in local government.
And to curb eye-wateringly generous pay and pensions conditions enjoyed by the large number of the 32,000 local government employees whose role is administrative and unconnected with the provision of any real services to the public.
Instead you observe “Nobody likes to pay tax” before describing the “contempt for civic morality” of those opposed to the tax.
Can I suggest that the real “contempt for civic morality” is amongst those who expect hard- pressed homeowners to suffer more taxation to fund the egregious waste of public money.
Yours, etc,
Marc Coleman
Whilst our highly paid commentators and presenters in the media will discuss anything regarding taxes or cuts to the most vulnerable in society, we have yet to hear or see any meaningful discussion on a wealth tax by these same presenters and commentators. Why? Could it be because the media presenters and journalists who are paid very well to raise and discuss such issues are the very ones who will be most affected by them. If you are being paid from 400,000 to 600,000 Euro by RTE, would you be willing to bring up discussions on a wealth tax? If our media has bought into, and been bought by, the corporate capitalist mentality, then how can the ordinary people who have no voice or access to the media, expect to be heard? Reform needs to stretch far beyond the public service, and political system. Our media have very serious questions to answer regarding their neutrality, efficiency, and personal agendas. But in order for this to happen, we must raise the questions first.
Couldn’t agree more Ronan