A-Infos (en) Workers Solidarity #74 - The Anti-Bin Tax - keep connecting with the punches

[Worker <a-infos-en@ainfos.ca>]

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Despite the fact that the Dublin City Council effectively
has it's hands tied (not being able to take anyone to
court until the case outstanding from September is
heard in the High Court) they could not let the
Christmas pass without trying to frighten people into
paying their precious double-tax.

Thousands of letters were sent out to residents demanding
payment for the bin-tax or threatening court action within
eleven days of this nasty letter being sent out. Let's get some
facts straight. The council cannot take anyone to court until the
case is heard in the High Court. Yes - they did have one case
awarded in their favour but that was because the person
summonsed to appear did not contact the campaign, seek our
help or even show up in court on the day itself. 

So, thanks to the high level of non-payment, the city manager
and his cronies were busy trying to scare the living daylights out
of people by threatening to take them to court for Christmas
despite this being legally impossible. It just shows you how
strong the resistance to this double-tax is when they have to
resort to such lies and threats.

Then, also in no small part due to the immense work being
carried out by the campaign, the councillors themselves decided
to vote against the estimates for 2003 by 27 votes to 22. This is
because the people though out the City have let them know in
no uncertain terms how they felt by their non-payment and
protests. At the time of writing it's expected that there is going
to be some deal cobbled together on Jan 16th at another
meeting to ensure that the council is not abolished. Like the
recent Nice referendum it appears that the Government has
decided to put this issue to another vote until it gets the
"correct" answer it wants from the council.

For 2003 we can expect bigger bills arriving in the door. We can
expect more threats and we can expect them to do everything in
their power to make us pay. But we shall not pay. We shall build
the campaign and be even stronger. We have to talk to our
friends and neighbours and convince them not to pay this years
increased bin-tax. Together in our unity and strength we will
drive the bureaucrats of the council, the Government and
Europe even more demented as they try and squeeze money out
of us for a service that we have already paid for.

                                                  Dermot Sreenan

Next meeting of Dublin Activists - Feb. 17th 19.30hrs Teachers
Club 36 Parnell Sq. D2

Contacts: Campaign Mobile - 087 - 2837989

Dermot -087 - 6277606

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