Does anyone like tax?
Taxes are seen as a real curse to most people. Hyped and ridiculed by a lot of the media - but the alternative is probably worse still.
Good or Bad - they are certainly Ugly
I've never really been too bothered by taxes as when I've been working for companies the tax has been taken before I see it. I have therefore never really viewed it as my money. I have therefore nover really taken heed of all the moaning that goes on in the tabloids about the Government wasting money... 'our' money.
The big difference for me has been becoming self employed and then running a company. The money has therefore been in my hand and then taken away again in tax. This has been a bitter pill to swallow, but it has also encouraged me to think about it all a bit more thoroughly.
Basically, the country needs money to keep it running. The roads need to be fixed continually, people are needing the use of the emergency services, healthcare, the decision makers need to be paid, prisons need to be maintained etc. etc.
Although the councils and Government are using other ways to try to pay for some of it (effectively making some of these things more like businesses - charging high rates for hospital parking etc.) the solutions are nearly always unpopular too, with most people taking the attitude of 'my taxes paid for this - I shouldn't be paying for it again!'.
Although the situation is not good (there is certainly wastage), what seems to make it worse is that the media seem to use 'tax wasting' stories to make money and stir up discontent.
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