Paddock Wood Residents Refuse to Pay Council Tax Over Traveller Squabble

I got another letter from the IRS yesterday. Nothing too interesting or exciting — just them letting me know that they’d noticed that I forgot to include a check when I sent in my tax return last month, and that they’re charging me $56.86 in interest and penalties for the bother.

Here is another case of folks in England getting bent and refusing to pay their council tax because the government isn’t doing enough to discourage “travellers” (homeless vagabonds, or something of the sort, I take it). But this time, they’ve organized:

People living on the outskirts of Paddock Wood are refusing to pay their council tax in a protest over illegal travellers’ sites. At least 20 households have signed a declaration to withhold payments, amid growing anger over what they see as the “unregulated incursion” of gypsies and travellers.

In a statement — titled Rural Community Fights Back Against Flouting Of Planning Regulations By Travellers — residents vowed to withhold council tax until “due attention” was given to the problem of travellers.

Council tax for a band D property in Paddock Wood is currently £1,451 a year. Not paying it can result in a prison sentence as well as a fine and order for back-payment.