The Tax Tick: the enthusiasts and the pessimists

I find so many people supportive of the idea of a Tax Tick, it comes as a bit of a surprise when I get a negative comment (let me clarify that I've been asking regular taxpayers, not tax accountants).

So what reasons do people give for dismissing the idea?

Well, firstly there's young people, not so long out of education and not paying much tax. They're not using much in the way of public services and frankly, a lot of them couldn't care less where the NHS and education system and pensions get their money from. And I guess if I was in their position I might not either. (Although I must add that this doesn’t apply to all young people, many have been very enthusiastic.)

But there are also people with plenty to benefit from a more tax-compliant culture (and who pay pretty high taxes too) who pooh-pooh the idea. But what’s interesting is that they don’t say it’s a bad idea – in fact, they say it’s a great idea. The reason why they dismiss it, though, is they say that people won’t care enough to make it work.

So - besides a proportion of young people - taxpayers fall into two groups: those who think the Tax Tick is a great idea and want to see it happen, and a minority who think it’s a great idea but don’t believe that it will work.

Could the second group simply have that pessimism gene that’s just been discovered?

PS. I’d say at a guess that Fred Goodwin (the ex-RBS Chairman clinging on to his £650,000 pension) wouldn’t know a pessimism gene if it repossessed his house.