By Niamh Kirk
THE Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes (CAHWT) is calling on Louth County Council to refrain from prosecuting non payers until the constitutionality of the charge has been established. The Louth branch has written to County Counsillors proposing a motion to have the Council ask the County Manger to desist from prosecuting householders for not paying a ‘dictatorial and unfair stealth home tax.’
According to the latest figures released Co Louth had the third worst compliance rate with 47.9% having paid the €100 charge. Nationally, the government is still struggling to collect the charge as it reveled this week that they were €63million off target with just over 40% of households holding out.
The campaign group noted the recent League of Credit Union report, which indicated that almost half of Households have less than €100 to spend at the end of the month. Given this, they say that the government is wrong if they “think they could squeeze any more money out of people”
The letter to the Councillors urged them to show solidarity and support for people who chose to oppose the “austere and hardship measures that are being enforced on those who cannot afford to pay.”
An information pack on the Household and Water Charges was launched last week and organisers say there was a good turn out at both the Dundalk and Dunleer Branch. The pack includes a ‘what to do’ guide if a reminder to pay is received form the local authorities.
Maeve Curtis a speaker at the launch explained “Essentially, we are advising people to return the letter with a return to sender sticker on it. Alternatively, we suggest people return the letter with an additional letter that we can provide which asks a number of pertinent questions regarding past and future local authority spending amongst other inquiries. The council responses to these letters can be used in the unlikely event of future court appearances.”
