IF ANY one of Guernsey’s thousands of motorists was unaware of the disservice the States has done them over failing to introduce paid parking, it has come home today.
Not one, but two tax rises came into effect just after midnight this morning. The first, demanded by the Budget, might be acceptable. The second, because Environment doesn’t have a credible transport strategy and the States ducked forcing the issue, is not.
Anyone filling up today is now helping to fund a bus subsidy which the States itself – as a result of endorsing the Tribal Consulting report on public expenditure – accepts is being used inefficiently and is way too much.
But members preferred to take the easy way out and, well, they thought, 1.2p isn’t much and with any luck Guernsey motorists won’t notice it, will they?
Perhaps not, but the approach was wrong in principle and does nothing to attack the real target of easing congestion in St Peter Port by reducing commuter traffic. Add to it the 4.8p Budget increase and what the States has done will be seen as punitive, inflationary and costly for ordinary mums and dads for whom the bus service is no alternative for getting the kids to and fro.
And how long will it be before Environment acts to allow the competition-free taxi price cartel put up fares because the States has put up fuel?
Yet this is regrettably indicative of the piecemeal policy thinking that is also reflected in the Budget itself.
A very modest – in the current climate – £19m. revenue shortfall is predicted by Treasury and Resources to bloom into a £42m. ‘black hole’ structural deficit. But that is largely because the States has agreed to spend money that it does not have on capital projects and the first three years’ savings from the Tribal ‘cost cutting’ are going on actually extending what government does.
Islanders filling up their cars today do not expect the States of Guernsey to be run like a business or even like a household.
But, unlike the States, which raids the taxpayer whenever it likes, they know that if they fail to balance their own spending, there is no one else to turn to.
Paid parking comes home to roost
IF ANY one of Guernsey’s thousands of motorists was unaware of the disservice the States has done them over failing to introduce paid parking, it has come home today.
Not one, but two tax rises came into effect just after midnight this morning. The first, demanded by the Budget, might be acceptable. The second, because Environment doesn’t have a credible transport strategy and the States ducked forcing the issue, is not.
Anyone filling up today is now helping to fund a bus subsidy which the States itself – as a result of endorsing the Tribal Consulting report on public expenditure – accepts is being used inefficiently and is way too much.
But members preferred to take the easy way out and, well, they thought, 1.2p isn’t much and with any luck Guernsey motorists won’t notice it, will they?
Perhaps not, but the approach was wrong in principle and does nothing to attack the real target of easing congestion in St Peter Port by reducing commuter traffic. Add to it the 4.8p Budget increase and what the States has done will be seen as punitive, inflationary and costly for ordinary mums and dads for whom the bus service is no alternative for getting the kids to and fro.
And how long will it be before Environment acts to allow the competition-free taxi price cartel put up fares because the States has put up fuel?
Yet this is regrettably indicative of the piecemeal policy thinking that is also reflected in the Budget itself.
A very modest – in the current climate – £19m. revenue shortfall is predicted by Treasury and Resources to bloom into a £42m. ‘black hole’ structural deficit. But that is largely because the States has agreed to spend money that it does not have on capital projects and the first three years’ savings from the Tribal ‘cost cutting’ are going on actually extending what government does.
Islanders filling up their cars today do not expect the States of Guernsey to be run like a business or even like a household.
But, unlike the States, which raids the taxpayer whenever it likes, they know that if they fail to balance their own spending, there is no one else to turn to.
Article posted on 21st November, 2009 - 2.30pm