Council Tax doubles and the Mugla Mayor gets a new 770,000TL Mercedes car

[usedbustickets]

Following last year's local government re-organisation much of the local political power and political decision making shifted to Mugla.  So you can imagine how delighted I was when we went to pay our Council Tax to find that it had increased from 224TL to 475TL.  This against the background, for example, of many local roads continuing to be un-repaired almost two years after the Canalisation work was started, lay offs of local council workers,and a pile of necessary improvement projects looking like they will never start.  Now I know we can blame Reg's AKP central government for many of these problems, but the local politico's should also bear their share of the blame.

So I was charmed to see that Mugla's local Mayor had taken delivery of a 770,000TL Mercedes, and that it matched the one used by the Mugla Governor.  See the link below for more details, and where even the AKP representative sounds reasonable on the matter

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/Default.aspx?pageID=238&nid=80407

Also it's the local hard working Turkish families I feel for.  How on earth do they deal with prices doubling

[kawasakikid]

That's politics and I'm afraid it is the same the whole world over. I can virtually guarantee that if those politicians roles were reversed i.e. the AKP was in power in Mugla, they would do and say exactly the same thing about the CHP party. I think that we all agree that the vast majority of politicians are in for what they can get out of the system- not vice versa. 

So in a democracy, the people usually vote for what they perceive to be the lesser of two evils.  But what we all know, is that you will only get more of the same hypocrisy, corruption and nepotism. I personally believe that whenever you get the chance to vote it should never be for the mainstream parties for that reason.

The scale of the council tax increase is scandalous and unjustifiable. But, as ex-pats (or migrants as we should be called) in Turkey we do not have the vote, so we cannot exercise any democratic rights to even try and change the status quo.

Of course, we all can exercise the ultimate choice- take it or leave it!

Are we absolutely certain that the local Turks are having to pay double last years council tax?

[KKOB]

Are we absolutely certain that the local Turks are having to pay double last years council tax?

Come on you paranoids and conspiracy theorists. You've got an open goal here !  

[Colwyn]

I think that we all agree that the vast majority of politicians are in for what they can get out of the system- not vice versa.

No. We don't all agree with that. At least one of us thinks that is a rather glib and silly comment.

[GordonA]

I think that we all agree that the vast majority of politicians are in for what they can get out of the system- not vice versa.

No. We don't all agree with that. At least one of us thinks that is a rather glib and silly comment.

And I make two, what's the problem with paying just over £120 for a years Community Tax anyway ?? Most of the ex-pats can use the £200 Winter fuel Allowance, (which they shouldn't be illegally claiming), to pay for the increase, or, come back to Blighty, and stump up, in our case, nearly £1500 !! 

[apollo]

Many expats may be receiving Winter fuel Allowance. Certainly not most!

[lance]

The ex pats who live here full time but have another address in uk receive it ,not the ones who state this is there only home.

[Ray1951]

One way of getting people to exit the country is to make it a less pleasant place or more expensive place to live.  The present government regularly change the laws and many Turkish people, particularly the younger generation would love to leave Turkey because of restrictions being imposed on them.  I don't think there are many countries where everything is perfect.  You like it and can afford it = stay.  The alternative is ??

[easyfood]

Fuel allowance?  Won't get a pension for 15 years - if it even exists then.  Don't put all ex-pats in the same boat.  Don't even know what the exchange rate is as, what little money I have, is in lira.  I came to live in Turkey and, after 13 years, I still appreciate that I am a guest in this country and abide by their rules/regulations - whether I like them or not.  I cannot compare prices with UK because I don't live there any more. and don't live by the GBP.  I don't like the increases any more than anyone else, however, I agree with what other CBF members comments, if you don't like it, you can go back to good old blightly.  However, when you are in this country ......

[GordonA]

The ex pats who live here full time but have another address in uk receive it ,not the ones who state this is there only home.

Do you really believe that all of the
 ex-pats, or immigrants,who live FULL TIME in Turkey , and claim Winter Fuel Allowance, have a legitimate address in the UK Lance ?? I personally know of at least one couple who live full time in Fethiye , but use a family members address in the UK to maintain access to the National Health Service, free prescriptions ( age related ), and use the money saved in order to travel to a warmer climate in the Far East during the winter, and have the audacity to boast about , and post pics of holidays in the Far East !! I am sure that they are not the only ones either, I wonder if they too are moaning about the increase in Turkish Community Tax ??