There follows an email From T Craven on the subject of council finances. Then a response from John Coyne, a Liverpool councillor.
“JOE Anderson did not have a referendum to elect a mayor for Liverpool, he now has an opportunity to have a referendum on whether the electorate would agree to allow him to raise the council tax.Instead of political manoeuvring he should have one.
There is an alternative to austerity. It is to raise taxes. I feel sure that if the people of Liverpool are given an opportunity to choose between people dying as predicted by mayor Anderson and a council tax rise, they will choose to raise council tax. Scousers are made of stronger stuff than greed as Mr Pickles and co seems to think.”
T. Craven, on email
Read more: Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/views/echo-letters/2012/12/26/liverpool-echo-letters-december-26-2012-100252-32494279/#ixzz2GD1vHGpT
“T Craven (Echo letters, 26th December) is right to call on the Mayor to hold that referendum on raising the council tax. Given the choice, people can show that saving lives is a bit more important than keeping a few pounds in the pocket.
“A catch-up tax rise could only fill part of the great hole in council finances, but it could stop some of those cuts to literally vital services being forced on us by government.
“But instead of raising revenue, we see the council actually reducing charges by the give-away on cheap all-day car parking for commuters.
“The Green Party will not be bullied into joining the other political parties in a consensus budget and we are voting against each stage of the cuts.
“To stand up to the likes of Mr Pickles, the Mayor needs to take courage and replace his flawed electoral mandate with a referendum result that demonstrates the solidarity of the people of Liverpool against this cruel coalition government.”
Written by Cllr John Coyne