Stand Up and help fight Excessive Rates Charges, urges Hillis
East Londonderry UUP Assembly member Norman Hillis is encouraging more local people to make a stand against the Government’s new rates evaluations.
Mr. Hillis, who has criticised the method of assessment as nothing more than an excuse to burden ratepayers with more taxes, says many people are now beginning to realize that they are going to be hit hard by new bills in the coming year.
He says: “Without a restored Assembly at Stormont the Government is intent on squeezing as much as it can out of the Ulster public in additional taxes which many people cannot meet.
“These new rates, coming as they will on top of the extra water rates levies will force considerable numbers of householders into financial hardship.
“Remember the Secretary of State Peter Hain has said that people in Northern Ireland ‘don’t pay their way’ as he announced a 19% rise in the regional rate. In reality the regional rate has now risen by 85% over the last seven years.
“We are all paying a high price for Direct Rule and if devolution is not restored by November then we will all be faced with this kind of ruthless taxation for years to come.”
Mr. Hillis is calling on the public to voice their anger at the rates increases before the Government consultation period expires. The lessons of the mass campaigns against the Poll Tax in Britain in the early 90s are clear, he says.
“If we do not make our objections heard then we have no hope of forcing a re-think on a system which is penalizing many householders.
“Direct Rule is proving painful and it is not in the best interests of the people of this Province. We are now facing huge increases in rates, our education system is in crisis while there seems to be little improvement in the health service with staff still under chronic pressure to cope.”
Mr. Hillis maintains that only local representatives can deal effectively with these issues: “Hard decisions have always got to be taken in government but it is preferable to have these decisions taken by people who are elected here in Northern Ireland than by part time Ministers from the mainland who have little or no empathy with the Ulster people.”
He adds: “Of course, before any future Assembly is reconvened, we must be fully satisfied that the climate for self governance is right and that all elected representatives are free of involvement in terrorism and criminality.
“However, the clock is ticking and time is running short. It is the people who are suffering in the vacuum that currently exists.”