Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Tax the rich not the poor


“An unfair and unjust tax,” is how a member of Enniscorthy town council summed up the Universal Social Charge during a protest calling for its immediate abolishment on Gorey’s main street last Saturday.  Sinn Féin members handed out leaflets giving reasons why the USC should be abolished, and asked passersby to sign postcards calling for the abolishment of this controversial tax.  Wexford Sinn Féin will be delivering these postcards to Leinster House in the coming weeks.

“We in Sinn Féin stand firm against the Universal Social Charge,” Sinn Féin Cllr Johnny Mythen said.  “It is an attack on the incomes of ordinary people that just cannot be afforded.  It is a completely unfair tax that takes the same percentage from people earning €16,016 per annum as it does from someone earning €100,000 per year.   This tax needs to be abolished and instead the Government should work on building a fairer tax system by creating a progressive tax base that taxes fairly and equalises wealth.”

“Before they entered government, the Labour party felt the same way as Sinn Féin about the Universal Social Charge.  They even campaigned for its abolishment during their election campaign.  Now they have performed a total U-turn on this stance to the point where Wexford town labour councillors voted against a Sinn Féin motion calling for the abolishment of the Universal Social Charge last week.  The Labour party must stop procrastinating and make their policy on the USC known.  Are they for this unfair tax or against it?  The people of Wexford need to know now!”

Cllr Mythen recently had a motion calling for the abolishment of the Universal Social Charge unanimously passed by Enniscorthy Borough council.  It was supported by local Labour and Fine Gael Council members.  The same motion was defeated on Wexford Borough council by the combined votes of Fine Gael and Labour members.
Cllr Mythen’s motion read; That Enniscorthy Town Council: Acknowledge that the Universal Social Charge is an unfair and regressive tax, is having a detrimental effect on the lower and middle class incomes of our constituents and the entire working population of our Country. Therefore we call upon the Government to abolish the Universal Social Charge.

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