I write to you as a matter of some urgency bearing in mind that a decision is to be made at the end of February 2000.
Over the past six years council tax has increased on average by three times the rate of inflation.
This year the rate is set to be 11% i.e. 10 times greater than the rate of inflation 1.1%.
This is outrageous, immoral, shameful, unjust and scandalous.
Cornwall is one of the poorest areas in the UK where wages are low, fixed and in some lucky cases fixed to the Rate of Inflation.
We all have to manage our budgets and live within our means.
The council is uncaring and does not understand the financial stress imposed upon the people it is supposed to represent. Instead of standing up to Central Government it takes the path of least resistance in the knowledge that individuals do not have either the means or finance to challenge their decisions.
The matter is exacerbated when one considers that Westminster thought nothing of spending £176m of taxpayers money on a tent in the docklands, or gives £millions away each year to Third World nations or £millions in overseas loans knowing repayment is at best unlikely.
The bottom line is the Cornish people have already paid more than enough in taxes to cover the increase the Council is about to impose.
The Council must demand some of that tax back instead of subjecting the people to continual additional secondary taxation.
Anthony Cory
Menheniot