Madam, – In my letter of April 2nd, I stated I would no longer pay my taxes to a Government which is misusing those taxes. I thought your readers might be interested to know the outcome. A kind of vox pop resulted, including a forum on politics.ie.
In summary, it looks like approximately 95 per cent of the population were in support of my sentiment and even my actions. However, many cautioned me that standing on my own, the Revenue would mercilessly destroy me and it did not appear that the public would come to my rescue.
Reluctantly, I sent off my monthly cheque to Revenue this week.
I note an article by Donal O’Mahony (“Nama an arduous path – but the right one”, Opinion, April 13th). While I don’t agree with many of his sentiments, I would like to wholeheartedly agree with his comments that “the collective responsibility of lenders, borrowers, regulators and commentators alike” are required. Far from those people taking responsibility, they seem to be paying themselves ridiculous salaries, bonuses and other perks, all at the cost of the taxpayer.
I am a director of more than 10 property investment companies, all of which are solvent and steadily increasing in value. I have approximately 400 shareholders who are delighted to pay me, a fraction of what our bank chiefs earn, for these results.
At no time has it occurred to me that should I not succeed, I would pay myself a bonus for failure, a pension contribution for resigning and then ask the taxpayer to foot the bill.
It is time for a new government paradigm, one no longer based on greed, one which remembers that a good economy is a means to an end, not the end itself. The goal should be a fair society, in which family is paramount and we can have fun again (the three Fs) underpinned by a strong economy. – Yours, etc,