In article ,
wrote:
Are you that thick? The poll tax was a fixed sum paid by everyone.
Replaced a tax based on property value. The result being those in an
expensive property paid the same as those in a slum.

The only people who had an issue with it - as witnessed by the types who
rioted - were the scrounging crusties and people who lived in homes
where a number of (usually immigrant) families all piled into the same
house to avoid paying the rates. For most people it wouldn't have made
much difference in what they paid.

Thanks for once again showing you have no knowledge of history. Or current
affairs, come to that.

--
*Two many clicks spoil the browse *

Dave Plowman London SW 12

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 10:08:08 +0100
Dave Plowman wrote:
In article ,
wrote:
Are you that thick? The poll tax was a fixed sum paid by everyone.
Replaced a tax based on property value. The result being those in an
expensive property paid the same as those in a slum.

The only people who had an issue with it - as witnessed by the types who
rioted - were the scrounging crusties and people who lived in homes
where a number of (usually immigrant) families all piled into the same
house to avoid paying the rates. For most people it wouldn't have made
much difference in what they paid.

Thanks for once again showing you have no knowledge of history. Or current
affairs, come to that.

You carry on believing in your little fantasy that it was all working men good
and true who had a problem with the poll tax and turned out to riot if it
justifies your political beliefs. I couldn't really care less given that it was
over 20 years ago.

B2003

In message , at 17:27:34 on Tue, 9 Oct
2012, tim..... remarked:
They were paid for jointly by Essex and Kent County Councils (you
probably don't remember the good old days when County Councils did
useful things like that).

But it was explicitly promised at the time that when they tolls paid
for the cost of construction (and interest etc.) the tunnels would
become free of charge. I expect all those making the promises are
now dead, unfortunately.

In general I am also cynical, but in this case I don't think the
County Council project ever had a hope of breaking even, and had to
be bailed out. In which case, the original promise has little relevance.

why would a county council scheme have significantly more chance of
failing than a commercial one?

I'm not sure it would. The failure is a combination of failing to
predict future income against expenditure and in particular interest
payments on the original capital.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 08:33:13 on Wed, 10
Oct 2012, tim..... remarked:
It's the M25 which has made the Dartford Tunnel into big business.

Thirty and forty years ago it carried far less traffic.

but why would a commercial organisation take it on if they didn't think
that the traffic would grow so as to cover their costs?

And if they thought so, why wouldn't the councils

The councils built it for local traffic, that's why it was only a single
lane either way, when many of the arterial roads either side were
already dual carriageways.

It replaced a ferry.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 14:13:46
on Tue, 9 Oct 2012, remarked:
And you'll refuse the old age pension when the time comes? By far and
away the biggest single item of 'benefits'

Since I've been paying in for it via national insurance all my working
life why should I refuse it?

Er, no you haven't. You've been paying other people's pensions through NI.
Your pension will be paid by people in work when your pension is paid.

Indeed, and you haven't even been paying NI into some kind of fund in
case you become unemployed. That qualification is based only on
[sufficient] payments in the last two years.
--
Roland Perry

On 09/10/2012 19:50, Basil Jet wrote:

On 2012\10\09 16:11, d wrote:

On Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:58:27 +0100
Dave Plowman wrote:
[snip]
You're quite an advert for Tories yourself. Just about as full of
hate for others I've seen. But you could seek treatment.

Ah , the defeated lefties last stand - accuse someone of being full of
hate/racist/sexist/mysogynist.

You wouldn't know real hate if it bit you in the ********.

He hasn't had as much experience witnessing it in everyone around him
his whole life the way you have.

It's a rather peculiar comment from Boltar, that's for sure.

On Tue, Oct 09, 2012 at 11:45:22AM +0000, d wrote:

I rarely use the NHS

But when you do need it, you'll *really* need it.

public transport or council services

Really? You don't have your bins emptied, your local roads maintained,
litter cleaned up off the streets? You don't have any local police or
fire service? You use services paid for out of local council funds
every single goddamned day that you're in the country.

and I don't have
any kids

You benefit from having everyone else's kids educated, because those
kids will be the ones paying taxes to support you later in life when you
become another unproductive old economic burden on society.

--
David Cantrell | London Perl Mongers Deputy Chief Heretic

If you can read this, thank a teacher.
If you're reading it in English, thank Chaucer.

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:19:06 +0100
Mizter T wrote:
You wouldn't know real hate if it bit you in the ********.

He hasn't had as much experience witnessing it in everyone around him
his whole life the way you have.

It's a rather peculiar comment from Boltar, that's for sure.

Why? Most people have seen 2 people who hate each other have a fight either
at school or elsewhere. Trying to smash someones head in with a bottle is hate,
having a right wing opinion isn't. Unless you're a liberal lefty desperately
looking for the quick exit from argument because you've lost.

B2003

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 08:33:13 on Wed, 10 Oct
2012, tim..... remarked:
It's the M25 which has made the Dartford Tunnel into big business.

Thirty and forty years ago it carried far less traffic.

but why would a commercial organisation take it on if they didn't think
that the traffic would grow so as to cover their costs?

And if they thought so, why wouldn't the councils

The councils built it for local traffic, that's why it was only a single
lane either way, when many of the arterial roads either side were already
dual carriageways.

It replaced a ferry.

So:

How does any of that prove that the councils couldn't have built/operated an
enlarged crossing once traffic levels increased.

Mersey corporation had no difficulty funding/operating a second tunnel after
the first got congested, what's different here

tim

On Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:15:44 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:
The councils built it for local traffic, that's why it was only a single
lane either way, when many of the arterial roads either side were
already dual carriageways.

It replaced a ferry.

There still is some sort of ferry terminal at dartford on the north bank.
Anyone know what its used for? There's usually a ferry docked there when
I've driven over the bridge.

B2003