[okfn-discuss] Receipt, please

Tue Oct 13 11:13:44 UTC 2009

Hi all

I was reading this on the train yesterday, and I was impressed with
how well the author captured what we're trying to do with WDMMG
(http://wiki.okfn.org/p/Where_Does_My_Money_Go) by using the simple
idea of a receipt for tak payers:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/caitlin_moran/article6868223.ece

The last three paras:

"But you know what would, in a single stroke, make tax-paying much
more popular in this country? And might even keep my incredibly close
friend Tracey here?

"A receipt. After all, whenever I’ve just blown £227 in Waitrose and
feel a bit alarmed by it, it’s oddly comforting to read through the
receipt and say to myself, “but at least I have a lot of yoghurt now”.
Similar comfort would be experienced by the taxpayer if, in exchange
for a large cheque, one was simply issued with a print-out of what
you’d just bought yourself: £2,000 for the NHS, £600 for streetlights,
£2 for Prince Andrew, etc.

"And of course, once you’ve got a receipt, it’s much easier to claim a
refund . . ."