Guernsey charges could be switched towards air travel

Unpopular price hikes on harbour charges and boatowners could be scrapped at this month's States meeting - and the burden transferred towards air passengers.

Deputy Mark Dorey and Deputy Roger Domaille want to bring in a small passenger charge that would apply to every flight.

But that is not necessarily a more acceptable option.

The Deputies' amendment would get rid of the Public Services Department's proposed 15 per cent increase in mooring fees at the St Peter Port and St Sampsons harbours.

Large rises in charges for casual use and lay-ups at the harbour would not happen.

And a 200 per cent increase in crane charges would also go.

The amendment would also scrap the Public Services Department's proposed air freight import charges which are due to raise a £170,000.

What the amendment does want to keep is PSD's proposed increase in airport carparking charges so the first hour stays free, but then the cost of parking goes up - bringing in £280,000 per year.

But its main way of raising funds is with what they call a runway development charge. That would mean every passenger would pay an extra £1.60 or £1.70 per flight - raising another £1.6 million per year.

Altogether, it would meet the target the States set of almost £1.8 million. PSD's plans only raise around one million pounds. And the deputies bringing the amendment are critical of that.

Deputy Roger Domaille, of St Peter Port South, said: "I think the report's poorly based and it's really sort of ignored the spirit of the States' previous decisions on borrowing and where to raise the money from. But I think perhaps most importantly if this money isn't raised and nobody likes putting up charges, well then the capital expenditure on the schools, the hospitals will not be built unless we raise taxes or cut services."

If this amendment fails to get States approval they do have a fall-back - lower passenger charges that would only raise £720,000. But with the cost of air travel already on the increase, there is no guarantee that deputies will give the go-ahead to either option. (from CTV)

Either way the public will be "Taxed"

might as well just hand our wages over to the states...tax tax and tax them again...if the states were to bring in a 30p in the pound tax band for the very rich on this island it would soon fill the coffers...before anybody jumps on it saying the rich would leave that is tosh as the 30p in the pound band would still be a hell of a lot less than in the uk..