"Don't Panic, Don't Pay!"

dublin | bin tax / household tax / water tax | news report Saturday November 29, 2003 01:49 by Dave

Anti Bin Tax Protest in Dublin (Pics)

The people protesting here today, have come together to demonstrate their opposition to the Bin Charges and draw attention to the Dublin Wide Campaign of opposition to this unjust Double Tax.

The Bin charges are nothing more than a confidence trick. The government has cynically used peoples genuine environmental concerns, and the need for recycling, as an excuse to squeeze more money out of ordinary people. The money you pay in taxes is supposed to provide for essential services - so why should you pay again.

In recent months, Dublin City Council has once again been sending tens of thousands of threatening letters to households around the city in an attempt to terrorize those who have so far refused to pay this unjust double taxation! The message from the Anti-Bin Charge Campaign however, is the same as it has always been; don't be intimidated by such scare tactics. There is nothing new in these letters and it is not a criminal offense to refuse to pay this tax.
The recently passed Protection of the Environment Act now gives local authorities the right to refuse to collect waste from non-payers. This was a direct response to a 200 I Supreme Court judgment that ruled that Councils had a legal obligation to collect all waste. If at first you don't succeed, change the rules! A policy of non-collection has begun in those areas that the Council has deemed to be without strong anti-bin charge campaigns.
Across the city, local community groups and the Dublin Wide Campaign against the Bin Tax are campaigning against the charges and it is believed that massive nonpayment of this tax is the best way to stop it. Remember, just because you've paid once, you don't have to continue to do so.
If you receive any threatening letters or summonses and are concerned do not hesitate to contact the campaign immediately. A legal fund has been raised to ensure we can take on the City Council, we will cover the legal expenses on anybody the Council may try to bully into paying.