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TaxPayers' Alliance Bulletin - 24th June 2011 - New videos: Why are the Government taxing the poor to pay for a rich man's train? - TPA/YouGov poll shows support for billions of new spending cuts - Victory for transparency - Grassroots update - Best of the blogs Why are the Government taxing ordinary motorists to pay for a rich man's train? We've released three new videos as part of our campaign to stop the Government's planned high speed rail line. The project will cost more than £30 billion, that's £1,000 for every family in Britain. This week there was also a new report on high speed rail from independent consultants Oxera for the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, which found – among other issues – that there is a "degree of uncertainty" around the Government’s business case, and that they hadn’t fairly considered more affordable alternatives. For more information about why the proposed high speed rail line should be cancelled, read our previous research looking at the problems with the business case, whether it is a good way of creating jobs and revealing the towns and cities getting a worse service as a result of the project. This week we are asking you to help us get the message out: Why are the Government taxing the poor to pay for a rich man's train? You can share our three videos on YouTube by e-mailing them to your friends and colleagues, or sharing them on Facebook, Twitter or any websites you contribute to: 1. Why are the Government taxing the poor to pay for a rich man's train? 2. Why are the Government cutting services for ordinary commuters to make way for a rich man's train? 3. Why are the Government taxing ordinary motorists to pay for a rich man's train? Or you can share this link which contains all the videos: http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/home/2011/06/government-taxing-poor-pay-rich-mans-train.html TPA/YouGov poll shows support for more spending cuts A major new YouGov / TaxPayers’ Alliance poll reveals that the public support billions in spending cuts that the Government aren't even making. They polled in favour of cuts to foreign aid, high speed rail, trade union funding and a Green Investment bank. YouGov asked nearly 3,000 people and these results show that the wider public back some of our biggest campaigns on public spending. 69% would support freezing the International Development budget at its current level - SAVING = £3.7 billion a year (12% opposed; 43% would scrap the budget entirely - see graph below) 48% support cancelling plans to fund a new high speed rail line between London and Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester - SAVING = £30 billion (34% opposed) 51% support stopping the practice of paying full-time trade union organisers in large public sector organisations - SAVING = £67.5 million (26% opposed) 44% support cancelling plans to provide money to the planned Green Investment Bank - SAVING = £3 billion (33% opposed) Full analysis is here if you'd like to read more detail. Victory for transparency A great victory for taxpayers this week as the Information Commissioner, in charge of deciding what information can be made public, ordered the Cabinet Office to reveal the names and salaries of civil servants taking home more than £150,000. Our Campaign Director, Emma Boon, blogged on this with the full story here. We have fought very hard with councils, departments, quangos and other public bodies to provide detailed information about high salaries in the public sector. This ruling now establishes that public sector officials on top salaries paid at the taxpayer’s expense must reveal their name, salary and job title. When public finances are tight it enables taxpayers to see how their money is spent and ultimately lets them decide if they are getting good value. Grassroots Aylesbury Vale District Council We recently wrote about parking charges and press gagging in Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC). As a result of local resident, Ruth Ash's campaign - and the negative publicity surrounding it and other council decisions - AVDC has shot itself in the foot by trying to gag the local press. They have also showed themselves up as an authority unwilling to listen to residents' concerns, and who think the people should serve the council, rather than the council serving the people. If you know about, or are part of a local campaign that involves waste or increased charges, please contact National Grassroots Coordinator, Andrew Allison. We do have limited time and resources to follow everything up, however if we are in a position to help, we will. Freedom of Information It has come to our attention that some councils are trying to limit taxpayers' rights to access information. This blogger reports that Nottingham City Council has recently said if they receive more than one Freedom of Information (FOI) request from an individual in 60 days, they may regard it as vexatious. It is not within their powers to do that, and it appears to be a way this council (the only council in the country not to publish spending above £500) is trying to stop taxpayers from finding out how their money is spent. Nigel Shaw from our West Yorkshire Branch is also having problems with Bradford Council, as is our National Grassroots Coordinator, Andrew Allison. If you are having problems getting your council or any other public body to reveal information under the FOI act, please let Andrew know. Just because some of the information you are trying to access may be uncomfortable or embarrassing, doesn't mean they have a right to block you. Best of the Blogs Burning Our Money: Non job of the week - Why are Westminster council spending almost £1 million on 'management consultancy support'? 2020 Tax Commission: Britain has a worse tax system than key competitors, says poll - Britain ranks last among its key competitors on tax issues, a new poll reveals - John O'Connell writes for the 2020 Tax Commission Burning Our Money: David Begg retreats into fantasy land on HS2 - Matthew Sinclair points out the problems with the dodgy arguments being advanced by proponents of the Government's high speed rail plans. Grassroots: Hull City Council is storing up problems for the future - "Hull city council must take its head out of the sand and face up to reality" - Pretending a problem doesn't exist won't make it go away, explains Andrew Allison Econ101: Latest ONS public sector finances data shows the need for deeper cuts -Savage cuts? What savage cuts, asks Rory Meakin Grassroots: Bristol’s costly shed - Tim Newark on Bristol's new 'trendy' multi-media museum Better Government: £662K for ‘free’ laptops in Wales - Welsh Assembly Government still getting to grips with economies of scale Grassroots: Tameside’s jobs for the boys - It's jobs for the boys at Tameside council, Liam Billington reports