When all 53 States Members walk or cycle to work, so will I

Thursday 8th October 2009, 3:00PM BST.

From Roy Travert.
THE subject of environmental taxes has already been voted on by the States and thrown out on a standing vote.

Members voted by 25-18 to back a proposal by Environment Minister Freddie Cohen in 2008 to throw this proposition out. He stated that this was not the right time for new taxes. And he was right.

Yet we now have the Treasury department putting forward a range of new stealth taxes (‘indirect tax’) with this proposal. This is not about the environment, but about taking more money from people’s pockets.

It is a fact of modern life that we need to use our cars for work, school runs, business meetings, going to the hospital, etc. Is he also proposing the reduction in the police cars that are constantly patrolling the Island?

It is not practical to say ban the cars and reduce the speed limit to appease a small group of eco-warriors who have an axe to grind because someone might own a nicer car than them. If that’s the case, we should be banning the building of housing estates and bigger houses as well.

In a Utopian society, that might work, but this is the real world we live in and the day I see 53 States Members walking to work, riding a bike in the pouring rain or taking the bus, so will I.

Life is far too busy for most people to stop using the car and it is not practical to do so. It is the preferred mode of transport for good reasons.

It is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It takes you straight to your destination and you have the flexibility to come and go when you want, with the children, with the dog and all the articles that we take with us, like laptops, bikes, toys, food, golf clubs and, yes, people.

Transport Minister Mike Jackson is involved in the marine industry, yet no new taxes are being proposed to protect the environment from boat owners. Why not? They don’t even pay duty on the fuel they use! This is totally unfair considering the amount of road fuel tax that we pay. This needs further scrutiny as to the reasons why.

Make your voice heard and go to the States website and fill in the online questionnaire. Tell your States Member that you have had enough of increased States spending and increased taxes to pay for it.

1
Nellie Macon

October 8, 2009 at 4:53 pm

You’ll be a happy man then Mr Travert ot know that Senator Ozouf’s proposal was defeated this week.

There are States members that walk or cycle to work every day – they don’t necessarily support environmental taxes though.

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2
Jp

October 8, 2009 at 5:46 pm

A very good letter apart from this ridiculous comment “…appease a small group of eco-warriors who have an axe to grind because someone might own a nicer car than them”.

I think you might find, if you bothered to ask anyone who gives a damn about the environment that they are more concerned with the petrol consumed being as it is a resource that will one day run out at the rate it is going. I am sure any eco warrior who has forked out for a new envirnmentally friendly car could just have easily spent the money on a second hand one that is nicer if they were that fickle.

Anyway, I too would like to see the states members paractice before they preach, but then I dont think many of them believe that mantra.

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3
Warren J

October 9, 2009 at 7:46 pm

Mindful of the comments being proposed to reduce traffic, it really is time that the reserved, and free parking spaces for States Members are withdrawn forthwith. Only then will our elected representatives understand the true issues that the electorate face.

For example, exceeding the time on your paycards in a multi story car park results in a £60 fine ? Is this fair ? Why not pay for the time parked on exit ?

Hospital parking – There is none ! How could our States have spent so much money on a faciliy without adequate provision for dropping off and collecting patients ?

The States members used to park in the Royal Square – And this was OK by me as there was plenty of free on street disc parking. However, times have changed, parking charges and poenalties are imposed virtually everywhere so it surely is time for members of the States to experience the real world

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