Proposed Increase in Vehicle Duty

[CallMeCurious]

Seems Chris Thomas is strikes again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-65067092

The department said many of the fees had not been updated since 2013 and if they were not increased the "maintenance spending on the road and footpath network will have to be reduced".

So the roads are fine but they've had to put up the fees because they were 'unfair'  and they need the money now because the department had done nothing about it for the previous 10 years.

It seems the plan is to price people out of driving cars altogether so we don't wear out the roads so quickly. No wonder they are focusing on the pavements everywhere. Next stop will be tax and insurance for bicycles and mobility scooters.

[CallMeCurious]

5 hours ago, Major Rushen said:

Sorry Mr Councillor Joe Public and his car tax paid for this lot so we are going to drive on it.
 

A Douglas Councillor says Victoria Street should be open to buses and taxis only.

The road has been under construction since October 2022 and is now fully closed to traffic whilst resurfacing takes place.

Andrew Bentley believes the town should be using its ‘opportunities’ to create public spaces and Victoria Street could be ‘great’.

And they have the gall to bitch and whinge about losing trade to Braddan and t'internet. Wonder what they'll be selling next to the government for a £1 as they are incapable of maintianing or running it? 

[Omobono]

the council can not even properly maintain the parks and public open spaces they currently have responsibility for  so why would anyone think they could maintain victoria street as an open space , 

Strand street is filthy  it it were in Northern Europe it would be sluiced down every night , the whole down  is dirty depressing and a disgrace ,  so Councillor  put your own house in order , before you  speak about   taking on more responsibility , 

[John Wright]

26 minutes ago, Omobono said:

the council can not even properly maintain the parks and public open spaces they currently have responsibility for  so why would anyone think they could maintain victoria street as an open space , 

Strand street is filthy  it it were in Northern Europe it would be sluiced down every night , the whole down  is dirty depressing and a disgrace ,  so Councillor  put your own house in order , before you  speak about   taking on more responsibility , 

I think you’ll find responsibility for roads, whether or not pedestrianised, doesn’t rest with City Hall

[Major Rushen]

Pedestrian areas in towns turn them into ghost towns.

Edited March 24, 2023 by Major Rushen

[WTF]

19 minutes ago, Major Rushen said:

Pedestrian areas in towns turn them into ghost towns.

bands won't play no more 

[Chris Thomas]

2 hours ago, CallMeCurious said:

Seems Chris Thomas is strikes again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-65067092

The department said many of the fees had not been updated since 2013 and if they were not increased the "maintenance spending on the road and footpath network will have to be reduced".

So the roads are fine but they've had to put up the fees because they were 'unfair'  and they need the money now because the department had done nothing about it for the previous 10 years.

It seems the plan is to price people out of driving cars altogether so we don't wear out the roads so quickly. No wonder they are focusing on the pavements everywhere. Next stop will be tax and insurance for bicycles and mobility scooters.

That's not the plan.

There will be a call for evidence regarding vehicle duty though this year. Will you submit evidence and a proposal? 

Here is a guide to standard road condition assessment Road condition information | UKRLG (ciht.org.uk) if you want to read out more about the approaches used here and elsewhere. These approaches inform DoI's maintenance and investment plans and submissions to Treasury.

This data is now input into Treasury's Strategic Infrastructure Needs Assessment process to determine the relative need for capital funds in budget process. 

[Chris Thomas]

12 hours ago, Non-Believer said:

The only thing this is intended to be "fair" to is a f@cking great gap in previously non-contributory pension funding and other Treasury shortfalls that our elected haven't had the backbone to address since it was flagged up in 2006; a can that they've endlessly kicked down the road because it might involve upsetting their largest voter base and it was too much like hard work to do so. Although we've had endless assurances that it was all sorted out and was now on a sustainable footing (a bit like the MUA debt...).

Well, we are now seeing what that "sustainability" means. Remember that, next time a spineless puddle of lard knocks on your door wanting your vote.

Really. What do you know that actuaries don't? Surely increased contributions and cost sharing inside the cost envelope have sorted out public sector pension sustainability? PS What non-contributory pensions schemes are there now?

[Chris Thomas]

On 3/23/2023 at 5:09 PM, HelmutX said:

"Income generated through vehicle duty is spent on maintaining and improving the Island’s highways"

Oh, yeah... right.... what an outright LIE! The tax goes into the consolidated fund!! (and the CS pensions!)

 

There is no fund, consolidated or otherwise, into which vehicle duty is paid. It is just general revenue. However the amount spent on highways is greater than the amount raised in vehicle duty here.

[Non-Believer]

4 minutes ago, Chris Thomas said:

Really. What do you know that actuaries don't? Surely increased contributions and cost sharing inside the cost envelope have sorted out public sector pension sustainability? PS What non-contributory pensions schemes are there now?

There are no non-contributory pension schemes now (although one would certainly hope so), although it took you and your predecessors long enough to resolve that matter after it was highlighted in 2006. Which is precisely why we are now left with a £35M+ per year legacy funding gap.

I also note that you are still claiming that more is spent on the roads than is raised in revenue, a point proved wrong by your Departmental colleague Stu Peters' recent posting of figures.

This is about nothing more than Govt revenue raising to cover mismanagement and inertia with the public finances brought about by over a decade of ducking and dodging salient matters which required sadly absent political spine and application to address. The fact that this squeeze is now happening to the degree that it is is a reasonable indicator to the state of the public finances.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Omobono said:

the council can not even properly maintain the parks and public open spaces they currently have responsibility for  so why would anyone think they could maintain victoria street as an open space , 

Strand street is filthy  it it were in Northern Europe it would be sluiced down every night , the whole down  is dirty depressing and a disgrace ,  so Councillor  put your own house in order , before you  speak about   taking on more responsibility , 

Inner Douglas needs flattening. It’s a real eye sore everywhere you look once off the prom. Compulsory purchase, regenerate but funding required would have to come from IOM Gov or UK (if the City status is supposed to bring anything to the table!)

[Chris Thomas]

5 minutes ago, Non-Believer said:

There are no non-contributory pension schemes now (although one would certainly hope so), although it took you and your predecessors long enough to resolve that matter after it was highlighted in 2006. Which is precisely why we are now left with a £35M+ per year legacy funding gap.

I also note that you are still claiming that more is spent on the roads than is raised in revenue, a point proved wrong by your Departmental colleague Stu Peters' recent posting of figures.

This is about nothing more than Govt revenue raising to cover mismanagement and inertia with the public finances brought about by over a decade of ducking and dodging salient matters which required sadly absent political spine and application to address. The fact that this squeeze is now happening to the degree that it is is a reasonable indicator to the state of the public finances.

Thanks for comment and conceding on public sector pensions. Do you have a way to make the legacy funding gap disappear that would survive legal challenge?

How about this FOI response from February 2023 for figures servlets.getImg (icasework.com). There is additional expenditure on highways in Highways Division revenue budget too which is not included here.

I agree that the public finances are fragile. Highways need maintenance and investment and if discrete and rolling capital funds are reduced and revenue budget is based on assuming Tynwald approval of higher duties, fees and charges for highways services, I hope Tynwald approves them or the condition of the highways will deteriorate more.

[forestboy]

6 minutes ago, Chris Thomas said:

Thanks for comment and conceding on public sector pensions. Do you have a way to make the legacy funding gap disappear that would survive legal challenge?

How about this FOI response from February 2023 for figures servlets.getImg (icasework.com). There is additional expenditure on highways in Highways Division revenue budget too which is not included here.

I agree that the public finances are fragile. Highways need maintenance and investment and if discrete and rolling capital funds are reduced and revenue budget is based on assuming Tynwald approval of higher duties, fees and charges for highways services, I hope Tynwald approves them or the condition of the highways will deteriorate more.

Can some of them deteriorate more?
i.e. Fairy Bridge to Santon 

[AcousticallyChallenged]

37 minutes ago, Chris Thomas said:

There is no fund, consolidated or otherwise, into which vehicle duty is paid. It is just general revenue. However the amount spent on highways is greater than the amount raised in vehicle duty here.

But would that be the case if you subtract the cost of the TT course maintenance?

[Non-Believer]

23 minutes ago, Chris Thomas said:

Thanks for comment and conceding on public sector pensions. Do you have a way to make the legacy funding gap disappear that would survive legal challenge?

How about this FOI response from February 2023 for figures servlets.getImg (icasework.com). There is additional expenditure on highways in Highways Division revenue budget too which is not included here.

I agree that the public finances are fragile. Highways need maintenance and investment and if discrete and rolling capital funds are reduced and revenue budget is based on assuming Tynwald approval of higher duties, fees and charges for highways services, I hope Tynwald approves them or the condition of the highways will deteriorate more.

Thank you for conceding on legacy pensions gap, a point that you appeared to be trying to gloss over or even deny.

Thank you for also conceding that the situation arises from Tynwald inertia for in excess of ten years which could and would have undoubtedly been addressed had it involved other than Govt employees, which made it somewhat politically unpalatable to address in the fashion that would have been required, legal challenges or not. Had Govt had the will to do so at the time, rather than ceaselessly leaving the issue for later administrations and ultimately today's taxpayer to resolve.

Public finances on this Island are indeed fragile and largely for one reason; fiscal mismanagement. As an example (apart from the MEA), do you have any projected costs for the completion of the Liverpool Terminal to hand that can be made public?