Greens call for Scottish mansion tax to fund local services
Scottish Green Co-Leader Ross Greer has urged the First Minister to introduce a Scottish mansion tax that would raise over £125 million for local services including schools and social care.
Ross called for the Scottish Government to raise council tax on properties in the F,G and H bands, which are the most expensive in Scotland.
In his first question to the FM, Ross said:
“Across the country families just can’t get the local services they need.
“Every day in school children with additional support needs are being failed at school by the near-total lack of specialist staff. More than 10,000 children will spend this Christmas in temporary accommodation. And far too many elderly and disabled people and their families just can’t get care packages which meet their needs.
“At the other end of the spectrum though, the wealthiest people in Scotland just keep getting wealthier.
“For all the mistakes she made in her budget, the Chancellor’s Mansion Tax plans for England will raise hundreds of millions of pounds. But that cash will be grabbed by the Treasury rather than go to local councils.
“Does the First Minister agree with the Scottish Greens that we could use a Scottish Mansion Tax to fund local services like education, housing and social care, and deliver the support that our communities desperately need?”
In his initial answer the First Minister agreed with the need to fund local services but did not commit to introducing a Scottish mansion tax.
In his second question Ross said:
“I appreciate the efforts that the First Minister have made to take into consideration the budget proposals the Greens have already made.
“But this is an opportunity that I don’t think we can afford to miss. The Chancellor’s English Mansion tax is definitely an overcomplicated and limited way of achieving a progressive outcome.
“But it is progressive to tax the wealthiest people in the most valuable houses fairly.
“Two years ago the Scottish Government developed proposals for far more effective changes to Council Tax for higher bands.
“If those proposals were dusted down and the changes made for bands F, G and H, it would put a desperately needed £126 million into local services.
“That’s enough for thousands of additional support needs teachers. Or social care workers.
“The First Minister surely agrees with the Greens that our local services need more funding. And that it’s only fair to ask wealthier people to pay their fair share so that we can deliver it?”
In his response the First Minister reiterated his support for previous progressive tax changes secured by the Scottish Greens and made clear that he would consider Mr Greer's proposals.