Friday, November 09, 2007

Just Another Tax

Today's Guardian has more details on the latest cost projections for ID cards. "The report to parliament admits that the estimate is likely to change...the tendering process, with eight private firms bidding to run the scheme, has just started." Better make that, the estimate is likely to change significantly. And guess who'll end up footing the bill?

I've carried ID cards before, when I lived in South Korea and Japan. The cards had a photograph and very basic personal details, and were issued free of charge at the local Immigration Office. I only ever had to produce them in banks and government offices: nobody ever stopped me on the street; most of the time they were left sitting at home anyway. I wonder why our system has to be so much more complicated?

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