martin wrote:
On Thu, 3 Nov 2005 15:51:14 -0000, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:
[...]
I take the point about not having to pay for separate collecting
staff; but I think that would be nearly balanced by having to
retain
staff to process and police the exemptions for people who claim
not
to have TV -- that's computerised already, but it still needs real
people on the ground*. Unless, of course, we were simply to force
everybody to contribute regardless; and I don't really like that.

There are no exemptions. Pacifists don't get exemptions.

I sympathise. Certainly not allowing exemptions would make it easier
and cheaper. I don't know how much cheaper, but perhaps so much so
that it wouldn't be significantly unfair to non-partakers. But I'd
still object on the other grounds: there is no tradition of
hypothecated general taxation in this country.

--
Mike.