On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 19:19:42 -0000, "Oliver Keating"
wrote:


"Mikael Armstrong" wrote in message
...
I can't say I have a second home, but why should a second home be heavily
taxed?

Because people who own 2 houses are clearly very rich, and the rich should
be targeted for tax for two reasons:

1) Social justice
2) It would actually be impossible to raise enough revenue if everyone was
taxed to the same %age because the rich provide a disproportionately large
chunk of revenue.

Therefore ... accepting your arguments, the Government should tax the rich
very heavily and directly. Taxing people who have second homes is
inefficient - you use the word 'clearly' but don't / can't justify.

Of course the Government hasn't got the guts to tax heavily - that would
involve looking less voter friendly !

I like the idea of 'social justice' insofar as a second home is much less
heavily used in terms of local resources: waste disposal, road maintenance
and so forth, and should therefore be comparatively lightly taxed.