Becoming enthusiastic about paying tax

Above:  article by Rosie Murray-West, Deputy Personal Finance Editor for the Daily Telegraph.

A recent report by the Treasury Select Committee tells us what we already know - that there is "complete dissatisfaction" with Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs and the way that tax is collected.

This makes me think the government is missing an opportunity to connect with voters, minimise dissatisfaction, maximise key messages, gain valuable feedback, create positive emotions, maybe even raise extra income.

The first government to do this will gain a competitive advantage over other political parties.

1  Almost every adult voter in the United Kingdom pays tax, and yet they are not properly thanked for doing so.  Why is the government so rude?  They should look at subscription and membership organisations for how people should be thanked (membership of the National Trust, subscribers to the Guardian, supporters of the RSPB - all know how to look after their income source).

2  Simply by connecting with people (but not in a wasteful bureaucratic way) will improve satisfaction ratings, even if the actual processes do not improve all that much.

3  Since tax is mostly about spending this is an opportunity for the government of the day to reinforce the policy decisions it has taken (again this must be done in a subtle and understated way, avoiding gloss and anything that looks contrived or expensive).

4  Ask for feedback, even when you know that people are going to be hostile.  Expenditure on the Greek bailout might be unpopular, but tax-payers will want to know their objections are at least being listened to.  Also gives an opportunity for renewed contact and explanation (see point 2).

5  Why is there an objection among most tax payers to paying tax?  On the whole people want to retain as much money as they can to spend on their own self-actualisation projects (very few people in the United Kingdom live at subsistence level, even among the very poorest).  And yet government expenditure can (in theory) be projected in terms of collective self-actualisation, leading to tax payers becoming enthusiastic about paying tax and creating the Big Society feeling that everyone is looking for.

6  Why not give tax-payers an opportunity to pay extra tax, ring-fenced for causes they believe in.  We know that charitable giving raises huge amounts each year so why can't this principle be extended to "official giving" (which is another way of looking at the payment of taxes).  Perhaps even have a mechanism where extra government funding projects can be suggested.