Monday, October 09, 2006
07/07/2006 Liberal Democrats respond to Salisbury District Council cuts announcement
7th July 2006
Liberal Democrat Leader Paul Sample has responded to today's SDC budget cuts announcement.
He said:
"I welcome the Conservative administration's announcement that there will be no closures to public facilities. I believe that the pressure brought by local people, including the demonstrations, petitions and letter-writing campaigns, has had an effect. In particular, I pay tribute to this publication for highlighting this important issue and enabling local people to make their opposition to the cuts known.
"The Conservatives inherited a debt-free local Council from the Liberal Democrats and they have taken only a handful of years to bring it to it's knees again. My Group firmly believes that the Council Tax is a bad tax which is incapable of meeting the needs of local people. We would like to see a local income tax introduced - based on the ability to pay. I question whether the Conservatives can genuinely find the savings that they are looking for. I predict even bigger financial problems next year."
"The message is now going out from the Conservatives that they have "saved" the leisure centre from closure. But, when it comes to the election, residents should ask themselves who put the leisure centres in jeopardy to begin with!"
"The fact remains that if you give the Conservatives and "Con"dependents an overall majority to run your Council, you will get financial crises like these as a result. The reality of the old Conservative slogan - "good housekeeping" - actually means "crisis housekeeping." By so doing, they threaten the quality of life in places like this."
Liberal Democrat Leader Paul Sample has responded to today's SDC budget cuts announcement.
He said:
"I welcome the Conservative administration's announcement that there will be no closures to public facilities. I believe that the pressure brought by local people, including the demonstrations, petitions and letter-writing campaigns, has had an effect. In particular, I pay tribute to this publication for highlighting this important issue and enabling local people to make their opposition to the cuts known.
"The Conservatives inherited a debt-free local Council from the Liberal Democrats and they have taken only a handful of years to bring it to it's knees again. My Group firmly believes that the Council Tax is a bad tax which is incapable of meeting the needs of local people. We would like to see a local income tax introduced - based on the ability to pay. I question whether the Conservatives can genuinely find the savings that they are looking for. I predict even bigger financial problems next year."
"The message is now going out from the Conservatives that they have "saved" the leisure centre from closure. But, when it comes to the election, residents should ask themselves who put the leisure centres in jeopardy to begin with!"
"The fact remains that if you give the Conservatives and "Con"dependents an overall majority to run your Council, you will get financial crises like these as a result. The reality of the old Conservative slogan - "good housekeeping" - actually means "crisis housekeeping." By so doing, they threaten the quality of life in places like this."
