Deputy Collins will be proposing an amendment at this month’s big tax debate, suggesting setting up a new States’ committee to be called the Appropriations Committee, which would be tasked with looking at ways of outsourcing States services, proposing new systems of taxation, and considering how to reduce public spending.
If that amendment is successful Deputy Collins wants to head up the new committee himself, but its proposed constitution would prevent any member of Policy & Resources or ESS from becoming president.
So he decided to leave ESS in order to be free to stand for the top job on his proposed new committee, which would be allocated revenue funding of just £100,000, and charged with reporting back to the States by the end of 2028.
Deputy Collins has already floated some ideas which he would like the Appropriations Committee to consider.
These include scrapping personal Income Tax returns, merging Income Tax and social security contributions into a new ‘employment tax’, and doubling tax on real property.
He claimed this concept would raise more than £43m. without the need for either a goods and services tax or motor tax.
‘I am “A Man with a Plan” which could actually be delivered by January 2029, if the Appropriations Committee members approve a quick turnaround, some hard work, and will support the business call for a decision and delivery this term,’ he said.
Deputy Collins said that blindsiding his committee colleagues over his resignation was simply a mistake on his part. He says he wrote to the Bailiff to advise of his resignation but then was taken by surprise when it was made public almost immediately.
He said he had been waiting for an acknowledgement from the Bailiff’s Office before talking to fellow ESS members about his move.
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