THE BIN charges represent an attempt at extortion of working class people. We already pay over 80% of all tax in this country and have paid many times over for our local services. This is why the Socialist Party in conjunction with many others came together to set up the All Dublin Anti Bin Tax Campaign as a means of defeating this unjust double tax.

We believe that the overall burden of taxation should be shifted to big business and the rich in this country - instead the Government gives tax breaks to these people - their friends! This country is run by parties who are in the pockets of big business and rather than tax their 'friends' they tolerate fraud and give them tax amnesties. This government says the boom is over and intend now to attack the living standards of working class people.

The record of the capitalist establishment in this country is a disgrace. There is now nearly ten different corruption tribunals which shows the extent of their abuse of power.

The Socialist Party is opposed to double taxation and privatisation in principle and has a record second to none on these issues. With community activists we led the campaign that defeated the water charges. The lesson from the water charges struggle is that with mass non-payment and a willingness to defy the courts - we can defeat the bin tax!

The Socialist Party is made up of ordinary working class people like yourself and we are intent on challenging the position of the conservative, big business interests that dominate our country. Join us in this struggle.

The Socialist Party Demands...

* Proper investment in re-cycling and reuse
* No to privatisation of local services
* Tax big business and the rich
* Proper government funding of all local services
* End the robbery of working class people - put people before profit

Organised Mass Non-Payment Can Defeat the Double Tax

The Council, after voting the bin charges in for the third year, is set on collecting as much money as possible from it.

They can't afford the 74% level of non-payment to continue. Like before, they will resort to scare tactics such as threatening letters and even summones to court.

When the Council tried this before, in the battle against the water charges in the mid 90s, the campaign was successful in fending off these threats and defending people in court, and went on to defeat the charges.

This campaign can do the same. So far the solicitors of the campaign have successfully tied the Council up in knots over the legality of the charges. As a result, a High Court case is pending. This means that you MUST contact the campaign to be defended.

It is crucial that the campaign is organised in every street, every estate, so that people know who to contact, get the proper information and don't panic.

The Council's disgraceful tactics play on people's genuine fear of being brought to court and being left on their own.

The water charges campaign has shown that this is not the case. A mass campaign of non-payment, when people stand together, can defy the courts.

The Campaign Against the Bin Tax has, through its membership fees, built up a 'war chest' to pay for solicitors. The more people that join, the stronger we stand: not just financially, but also by extending our network of activists all over Dublin City.

We can win this battle over unjust taxation, but we have to be prepared to fight it all the way.

The Facts

• 74% of people didn't pay the bin charges for 2002. Mass non-payment is a fact.
  
  
• PAYE workers pay the vast majority of taxes in this country. We have already paid for essential services like refuse collection through our taxes, it is up to central government to properly fund local authorities for decent public services. The bin tax is a double tax.
  
  
• For 2003, the Council has decided to increase the charges by 30%. As the campaign has predicted, the introduction of a charge is not the end of it. This tax will go up year after year - people in Waterford are now paying €7.50 per bin!
  
  
• The Council's claim that this was an environmental tax is now badly exposed. The 30% increase is to make up for the cut-backs in the Budget!
  
  
• In a desperate attempt to get the money out of people, the Council sent out thousands of threatening letters in the week before Christmas. Rather than listening to the people, all the Council is doing is resorting to scare tactics to bully people into paying.
  
  
• Already there is talk of reintroducing water charges and other local taxes once they get the bin tax through. A government report states that they hope to charge up to €650 for essential service! We have to make a stand now..
  
  
• This is privatisation through the back door/ Once the service is "profitable", it will be sold off for a song to private operators. They will do away with waivers, cut the service (and jobs) and increase the charge. We stand with the council workers to oppose this.
  
  
• We are not on our own. The Campaign Against the Bin Tix is organised on an All-Dublin basis, which has connection with non-payment campaigns in Fingal, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, Dublin South and elsewhere.
  
  
• By joining the Campaign for €6 per household (€3 low income), you contribute to building the legal defence fund so all our members get legal representation.
  
  
• By getting all our families, workmates and neighbours to join the campaign and refusing to pay this unjust double tax, we will make it uncollectable.
  
  
• Every householder who is not paying this tax should join the campaihn, but not just that. Will you help to distribute campaign leaflets on your street, sign up tour neighbours? To defeat this tax we need people power in action. Now is the time to organise your local campaign in every street.

What About the Environment?

Refuse charges do not amount to a policy on waste management even though it is the most consistent mantra repeated by the Minister for the Environment. The bin tax, in fact, is a substitute for a real policy.

A serious policy on waste management would tackle waste at source and put major investment into reuse and recycling projects. The reality is that ever more unnecessary packaging is appearing in supermarkets and other outlets. This then has to be disposed of by the householder.

As it currently stands, 98.5% of Ireland's waste is NON-DOMESTIC, that means that only 1.5% of waste is household waste. Yet they want us to pay a double tax. The ordinary householder is a “waste receiver” not the “polluter” as the trite slogan “the polluter pays” would have it.

No to Privatisation

Most refuse services around the country have been privatised and there is no reason why they will not attempt this in Dublin. Privatisation would be a disaster and would constitute a further robbery of working class people, worse services and leave us at the mercy of money hungry profiteers.