THE PODS - FINANCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE?
17 June 2011 by JOHN DONALDSONJim Pearson, former chairman of Scunthorpe Town Team, is proud of the hard work he and members of The Team put in to bring to Scunthorpe the Pods, and justly so.
But, and I mean a big but, at over £21 million of British and North Lincolnshire taxpayers money can it really be justified? I think not.
As a logical principle, if there was a real demand for a venue like the Pods in North Lincolnshire, there is no doubt in my mind, that an entrepreneur would have built the scheme for the market without the need to be subsidised by the taxpayer.
The fact that there were no Pods built by the private sector is surely indicative that there is no real demand for it by the wider public at this cost.
If the Pods are to be run on a proper financial basis then realistic prices will have to be charged, which from historical evidence, will be unacceptable for SOME people who will demand subsidised charges which will be borne by the taxpayer.
Whilst I do not believe Jim Pearson gave much thought to the overall costs or the taxpayer and pushed forward in the mistaken belief that no matter costs the project finality was justified.
Unfortunately, although the Pods is a wonderful thought, as a corporate body we have been conditioned to this type of thought by a certain socialist philosophy since 1945 and is partly responsible for the current financial mess that we are in and has got to change in the bigger picture.
Notwithstanding these financial observations, Jim Pearson’s apparent personal enthusiasm and obvious hard work by him and his colleagues is commendable in this day and age in the UK and is exceptional.
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Comments
Durutti,
You did take the argument to the extreme, some of your examples were out there and I don’t think anyone minds contributing towards some of those services to a certain degree.
I agree with your last statement about government though as I don’t think that this solution they have come up with is very intelligent and I think there are many more alternative ways other than lots of cuts. It’s not a lie it’s just a really stupid idea!!!! What we need is a bit of honesty from them. Just give the public what they want. An increase in the tax percentage of all the tax loopholes that get used. Sure some companies will leave, and some won’t come back, but as soon as we clear the debts we can take it back down to a lower percentage and steal them all back from the places they went to. They would all come back eventually and that what I don’t understand about our current government. They just don’t listen to what we want.
The majority rules in this country and I can guarantee you that if there were a referendum tomorrow that not only would the turnout be huge but the majority would be to increase the taxes of the corporations not to cut publics spending as a means to pay our nation debts. It’s just bad luck for them that’s all. They made a nice profit during the good years and they continue to make profits now so when a government runs low on cash you go to the people with the deep pockets not the shallow ones and that’s the corporations.
I don’t think it’s fair but the government are unfair to the general public a lot of the time so it’s about time that the big money companies share some of that. It’s not like it would be for years and years. The government would only need to do it until the debts are paid off and when you look at some of the profits of these companies post I’m sure they could afford some extra percentage points and still make a profit. The ones that continue to make profit will remain in the country the ones that don’t want to share more profit can go do business elsewhere, but they will all be back when the rates get dropped again.
See you at the event tomorrow.
You did take the argument to the extreme, some of your examples were out there and I don’t think anyone minds contributing towards some of those services to a certain degree.
I agree with your last statement about government though as I don’t think that this solution they have come up with is very intelligent and I think there are many more alternative ways other than lots of cuts. It’s not a lie it’s just a really stupid idea!!!! What we need is a bit of honesty from them. Just give the public what they want. An increase in the tax percentage of all the tax loopholes that get used. Sure some companies will leave, and some won’t come back, but as soon as we clear the debts we can take it back down to a lower percentage and steal them all back from the places they went to. They would all come back eventually and that what I don’t understand about our current government. They just don’t listen to what we want.
The majority rules in this country and I can guarantee you that if there were a referendum tomorrow that not only would the turnout be huge but the majority would be to increase the taxes of the corporations not to cut publics spending as a means to pay our nation debts. It’s just bad luck for them that’s all. They made a nice profit during the good years and they continue to make profits now so when a government runs low on cash you go to the people with the deep pockets not the shallow ones and that’s the corporations.
I don’t think it’s fair but the government are unfair to the general public a lot of the time so it’s about time that the big money companies share some of that. It’s not like it would be for years and years. The government would only need to do it until the debts are paid off and when you look at some of the profits of these companies post I’m sure they could afford some extra percentage points and still make a profit. The ones that continue to make profit will remain in the country the ones that don’t want to share more profit can go do business elsewhere, but they will all be back when the rates get dropped again.
See you at the event tomorrow.
Let's do away with the Art's subsidy too.
"If the Pods are to be run on a proper financial basis "Public services?
john Donaldson,you and I grew up with far greater public services than we have now didn't we?
It would be obscene f us to deny the next generation,
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I think you are on a slippery slope John. If quality leisure facilities are a misguided socialist project that we can't afford, what about libraries.. a bit of a luxury? Maybe we could do away with youth services and let the kids make their own entertainment? Children don't need education anymore, there are no jobs for them, why do we need schools? Care Homes aren't really necessary, families can do that job. The NHS is outdated, and far too expensive, maybe people should pay for their own operations.
Sorry for taking your argument to the extreme but if you accept the government lie that we need drastic cuts to save the economy the results are pretty unpleasant. There is an alternative, start collecting tax from the tax dodgers and stop the obscene bankers bonuses from the public purse.
Join the resistance. Uk Uncut Saturday 18th, Nat West Bank, 3.00pm
www.ukuncut.org.uk
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