Make town a tax free haven

Over the last number of weeks we have seen the politicians clap their own backs over the good work they have done reducing the rates to two per cent. In this economic climate the council should be looking at a rates reduction producing zero budgets for all but essential services.

The debate over the leisure services provision can be answered by allowing a private company in to run the leisure facility such as David LLyodd therefore generating cash profit and not costing the local tax payers approx 30m.

All of the other services at Oxford Island should be privatized with the equestrian centre being sold off to bring money back into the borough. All other areas to be looked at.

Street cleaning and refuse collection could be bolstered by the mass unemployed who do not want to work. Move towards the American system of no work no pay.

The upside to this is we will reduce the need for council officers and with it their ability to build empires for themselves.

This leads into the disastrous public realms works which by the time it is finished will end up putting the remaining business in town out of business.

The 100+ million that could be stripped from the council’s budget could be used to designate Lurgan a tax free haven to encourage new business into the town.

It also raises larger questions like why do we have 26 local councils when the MLA’s at Stormont could run this small province.