Local taxation plans?

Local councils are 10 years old. The Association of Local Councils is organising a monthly event to commemorate the 10th anniversary. Last Monday, the secretary generals of the three political parties met local councillors as part of these events.

The points raised were various. But the big issue remains. How do we find solutions to old problems?

¤ Local councillors employed with the public sector are still being forbidden from attending to local councils duties during their normal hours of work.

¤ Why are local councils being deprived of their funds when they have committed their budgets?

¤ How come local councils are still being provided with road marking paint that vanishes after three months?

¤ Why do so many public entities ignore local councils when their input is being made on a voluntary basis?

¤ How can local councillors recover their expenses incurred in connection with the execution of their duties?

¤ Why are some local councils more equal than others and continuously receive public resources from the central government?

¤ Why is the government refusing to "close the loop" in the legislation that will force the automatic collection of traffic fines?

¤ How do local councils balance the act with more devolution on their shoulders but with fewer funds from the central government?

During the meeting, several Nationalist councillors raised the issue of local taxation and the feeling I got was that the Nationalist Party is seeking to prepare public opinion for the introduction of local taxation in order to finance the operations of local councils.

The Malta Labour Party is against local taxation. Rather than taxation, the people are expecting that the government delivers on its promises. The first thing to do is to find solutions to old problems. When this is done with, local councils can look forward to face new challenges to serve the people better.