The Household Tax announced by the government today is a burden too many for the majority of ordinary people in this State.
Anti Household and Water Tax Campaign Already established
On Saturday,16 July a meeting of activists and members of left parties and groups, following on from some initial meetings last year, resolved to launch a national campaign of opposition to new household and water taxes as soon as they were announced by government. A final name for the campaign has not yet been decided until the government clarified its proposals.
The Campaign is calling for a boycott of the charge and a mass non-payment campaign to make it unenforceable.
The Anti Household and Water Tax campaign is open to all those prepared to fight the new tax. Although members and public representatives of left groups will play an important role, it will not be affiliated to any political party or organisation and will have fully democratic structures in place.
A major series of public meeting s in cities and towns around the country will kick off in September to establish local groups in what will be a very active campaign.
Anti Water Charges campaign 1980s & 1994-‘96
The mass campaign against water charges in the 1980s and especially in Dublin from 1994-’96 under the leadership of the Federation of Dublin Anti Water Charges Campaigns serves as a model for the new campaign against the Household Tax. Tens of thousands of householders were involved in a major non-payment campaign. Attempts by Councils to intimidate householders were met by local mobilisations, defence of householders in the courts and political action. This major campaign of people power won a measure of justice for PAYE when the water tax was abolished in December 1996.
