Poll Tax

[Gardian]

Here's a controversial one.

Many of us can remember the furore and subsequent sinking of this Thatcher proposal in the 80's. Personally, I could never understand the arguement against it: simplistically (as I recall, though I may well have it wrong) it was number of people in a household x a rate = your local charge. To me, it made sense.

Thus it reflected your usage of local services, regardless of your income level. There were rebates for those on low incomes.

Now ............. here on the Forum, we hear countless debates about TdH & TF and whether they're reasonable or not. Needless to say, they're not. Many homes haven't been re-assessed for donkey's years, often because improvements have been made without proper permission and thus re-assessment. All this results in wild variations within communes, let alone nationally. Even wilder than the UK ever was. 

It would make sense over here, wouldn't it? 

[Val_2]

The recensements that take place here every so many years don't even give the results to the Impôts regarding the properties, only INSEE so as you say, extensions and work done without permission will never be included although the Impôts do "spy" from the sky to see what people have in the way of pools,extensions etc so I wouldn't be too complacent about them not knowing. Each individual commune sets the rate for the Foncières each March and this has to be approved by the local Percepteur before being implemented.Habitation tax can be exonnerated for quite a few reasons including level of income, old age and being self employed but unless the individual enquires about their own particular charge, the impôts will continue to guestimate as against the details they have on record. I think people don't ask for reductions/exonnerations in many cases as they could be opening a can of worms especially if theyhave done improvements that needed official paperwork so they may just put up with ever increasing bills. I found the system fair when a bungalow was built right on our talus, our habitation tax was halved overnight and has continued to be low and obviously nothing now due to my circumstances. I don't think you can compare the UK system with the french system, too many variables and not that many properties of the same type unlike for example all those 1930 semis you see roads and roads of in the UK towns and cities.

[YCCMB]

Hmm....that'll be why our local taxes are so high that my neighbour reckons we're being robbed, then. And he's a conseiller. We're now paying more on our French property than we pay in the UK in Greater London.

[Val_2]

As an example, each February we have a special meeting to discuss the coming commune budget. We have to decide about whether or not to increase,decrease or keep the same charge as the previous year for the Foncières, but it all depends on what projects are lined up for the commune to carry out especially road maintenance, increase in electrification,drainage,ADSL and improvements to the commune in general as someone has to pay for it and this is what the Foncières are for. The maire does a set out of percentage increases and how much it will affect resident's bills and more often than not, we go for the middle of the three although last year we voted forthe highest increase at 3% so that this year, there would be no increase due to the economic climate and many people losing their jobs or incomes locally. I for one was staggered at the cost of keeping an online connection to the local Trésor by the mairie which they are obliged to do as it is the Trésor who pays all their bills from workers to outside contractors etc and that was nearly €200,000 for a commune of 900 people, so you see why they keep increasing the bills!

[ebaynut]

although the Impôts do "spy" from the sky to see what people have in the way of pools,extensions etc so I wouldn't be too complacent about them not knowing

 

Amazing, and the French people accept this invasion of privacy ? What sort of administration subjects its citizens to this, where it is a crime to improve your house, as in you are penalised financially for even adding something as important as an extra WC.

Compare this to the UK where home improvement is actively encouraged, no wonder French houses remain "unspoiled".

[Chancer]

Val I am assuming that the €200000 is the wagebill for the commune workers and sub-contractors and not the cost of the on line connection as you have written.

Still a huge amount of money but when I see how many faignants we employ in my similar sized commune I can believe it but not for an ADSL connection!

[Val_2]

Yes, they call it an online route to the Trésor in the next village but all monies are paid via that line.When we used to do public works for the commune,they had a 45 day time from presentation of our invoice to the mairie to payment direct into our account,no sooner allowed yet we had to pay our accounts within 30days and hence why OH refused to continue such works as did other artisans. The URSSAF bill for all the commune workers which includes the mairie personnel,cleaners and commune workers is enormous,more than the cost of a family home and hence why the taxes keep going up to pay for it all.