FURY OF COUNCIL TAX REBEL LIZZIE, 83 <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=390 border=0><TBODY></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=* border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Feb 20 2004
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</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>By Geoffrey Lakeman
</TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=390 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3> </TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3>COUNCIL tax rebel Lizzie Winkfield stood up in court yesterday and said she would rather go to jail than pay her £99 bill.
The five-foot 83-year-old spinster insisted: "If I have to go to prison I will. I've never seen the inside of a jail, so it will be an opportunity to learn something new.
GREY POWER: Lizzie Winkfield is cheered
by her supporters from the Devon Pensioners'
Action Forum as she leaves court in Barnstaple
"I have no plans to pay this money. I might die before I pay. I'm past being scared about what might happen to me."
Lizzie was cheered by 60 supporters from the Devon Pensioners' Action Forum who held up placards as she emerged from court in Barnstaple, North Devon.
She vowed to fight on even after magistrates issued a liability order which could see bailiffs grabbing her possessions to pay the bill - plus £10 court costs - and send her to prison.
Lizzie's case arose after she held back £98.80 of the £787.81 bill for her bungalow in Westward Ho! on the north Devon coast.
She paid only a 2.5per cent increase, in line with inflation, rather than the 18 per cent rise imposed by Devon County Council. She said: "Even if I was a millionaire, I wouldn't pay it. I can't pay. I paid the 2.5 per cent but can't afford any more. I haven't got much for the bailiffs to take, apart from a few old bits of furniture."
The former shop worker added: "It's a matter of principle. I've always paid my bills but it's getting ridiculous.
"I've sold my car and had all the equity released on my house. I just have my state pension and a bit saved up for repairs. All they can do is send me to jail."
Magistrates issued 110 other liability orders yesterday and Action Forum spokesman Albert Venison said the action was "diabolical and unsympathetic".
The Forum, created after last year's tax increase, intends to fight all 54 seats on Devon County Council at the 2005 elections.
The council, which has imposed a 5.25 per cent tax increase this year, says the rises are needed to keep services running.
A spokesman added: "Local authorities have no choice but to apply the council tax legislation as it stands."
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews...name_page.html
Good on you girl !
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