That £500m

So the Scottish government is proposing cuts of around £500m to fill another of those “black holes” that are so popular these days. Given that they don’t have control of the currency is this a sensible (or even the only) choice?

ScotGov is legally restricted in its actions. There is a small amount that can be done with taxation but that will have the whingers out too. I’d like to see some move towards a land/property tax, which I believe could be implemented within the current devolution settlement but there’s likely too much obfuscation of ownership under UK tax laws to make it properly work.

I guess it’s then down to priorities and universality of “benefits”. Means testing is an option but can be costly, divisive, demeaning and can result in the needy missing out. In principle I’ve no object to higher earners also getting some benefits as they are paying more anyway.

And as public sector pay makes up so much of the Scottish budget, are folk prepared to put up with more strikes?

Means testing is an option but can be costly, divisive, demeaning and can result in the needy missing out. In principle I’ve no object to higher earners also getting some benefits as they are paying more anyway.

Never has a truer word been spoken.

Means testing is an option but can be costly, divisive, demeaning and can result in the needy missing out. In principle I’ve no object to higher earners also getting some benefits as they are paying more anyway.

So you’re happy that poor working folk are paying higher taxes so well-off pensioners get cash they don’t really need?

How much extra tax are YOU prepared to pay?

Read the second sentence again, he makes it clear on whose shoulders any extra burden should fall…. not “poor” working folk.

Edit : Btw cuts disproportionately affect poorer people.

Whatever way you go, you will cause a negative effect on some part of those on benefits, low earning jobs, etc.

Bring more in on property tax, where do you think those owning properties will get that delta from, in the rental market we all know where, same goes with everything else, the waterfall effect will more often than not push the costs down the chain.

Same with John Swinney making headline statements about eradicating child poverty, honestly, how can he have been in politics so long and not understand about never make definitive statements like that, nobody will ever eradicate child poverty, there are a thousand ways and reasons children are in poverty, not all are solved by throwing money at the problem, or by changing the metrics you measure things by.

the black hole… with some white and red bits..

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/23315585.ferguson-marine-ferry-fiasco-firm-costs-taxpayer-nearly-500m-far/

Stuck record:

they could legalise cannabis.

im thinking not just about the revenue accrued.

thnk about the revenue from alcohol sales. But most of that goes straight back to London, whilst police Scotland have to spend a fortune cleaning up the mess from alcohol consumption. Running around town on the trail of wee Willie winkie, et al.

you can’t get rid of drink altogether, but for the men and/ or disabled, it would be nice to have an alternative to testicular ‘mash and breakage’.

And the ability to prop up the economy whilst getting ‘baked’:)

they could legalise cannabis.

im thinking not just about the revenue accrued.

There wouldn’t be any revenue accrued. Clinicians in Scotland could prescribe cannabis but that would be at a cost (as with all other prescribed drugs). Legalised selling of cannabis (with any tax revenues that might accrue) cannot be done without the UK Government.

Clinicians in Scotland could prescribe cannabis but that would be at a cost (as with all other prescribed drugs)

Clinicians/consultants can prescribe cannabis right now, I can buy a private prescription after an initial video consultation with Curalea , but living on disability benefits its not really affordable Curaleaf pricing here.

I’ve been attempting to get it through the NhS for 4 years but it’s been impossible so far