Fantasy Tax - What new tax would you invent?

[SueEllen]

This is meant to be a discussion about fantasy taxes, not budget leaks!!

How about stationary vehicle pollution tax; vehicles to be fitted with a device to detect if not moving and engine running for more than 2 minutes. This then communicates with the pump at the filling station and applies a £20 tax per recorded event, collected when filling up.

That's unfair to those who drive in large towns and cities.

I would be taxed all the time thanks to Thames Water and the number of f***ing temporary traffic lights. I would just tax all their execs out of existence.

[WTFH]

Additional tax on "contractors" who refuse to use accountants/IFAs.

[Protagoras]

That's unfair to those who drive in large towns and cities.

Nah, just stop the engine when stationary. Many cars do this automatically.

[ladymuck]

Nah, just stop the engine when stationary. Many cars do this automatically.

That wouldn't be good for my car. All that turning the engine off and and on every couple of minutes would most likely damage the battery.

Go on, tell me that I should swap my 21 year old car for a new one every three years in the name of the environment...

[Protagoras]

That wouldn't be good for my car. All that turning the engine off and and on every couple of minutes would most likely damage the battery.

Go on, tell me that I should swap my 21 year old car for a new one every three years in the name of the environment...

Not sure why it would damage the battery, as long as it's well charged and not just used for short runs. My main gripe about stop-start on IC engines is the response lag.

You'll get no argument from me re replacing cars for environmental reasons!

I used to keep cars for ages, but unless it's a very old car with simple technology, the cost of keeping cars going has become silly. I got rid of my last car at 10 years / 60k miles only because of the cost of parts. I will admit that the tech in the new car is great.

[ladymuck]

Ah, it's not the battery, it's the starter motor that'll take the bashing. I've not needed to replace it yet but I bet stop-start-stop cycles will lead to it needing replacement.

[woody1]

Ah, it's not the battery, it's the starter motor that'll take the bashing. I've not needed to replace it yet but I bet stop-start-stop cycles will lead to it needing replacement.

Often it's the opposite problem (lack of use) that causes starter motors to play up. That was almost certainly the case with mine. Local garage wanted best part of £300 to change it, so I picked up a used one for 20 quid and fitted it myself.

[TheDude]

I would tax people based on the complexity of their tax planning.

PAYE pay the lowest. Those whose arrangements involve trusts and/or cross borders pay the highest.

[Gibbon]

Genius. Must be applied. You have my vote, now I'm newly enfranchised.

The wages bill for Man U in 2024/25 was £224,733,600. They played 38 matches. So that's a bill of £5,914,042.11 per game. There are 5,400 seconds in a 90 minute game. That's £1,095.19 per second. That 20 second delay in scoring earned the exchequer £21,903.86.

Looking at their stats for last season, only the minute in which the goal is scored was recorded so assuming each goal was scored exactly on the minute, they would have incurred a bill of £164,147,524.21

So, for one game where there's an early score, I agree not much revenue. But looking over a whole season, with all the no-score draws that happen. Kerching!

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E...ed_F.C._season, https://www.givemesport.com/premier-league-wage-bill/

I was been too subtle, it would be in both teams interest to agree to score a quick goal each and then back to the real game. Taxes change behaviour.

[willendure]

This is meant to be a discussion about fantasy taxes...

Well, it is someones fantasy, although probably not many of us.