The Arrecife City Council plenary session has provisionally approved this Monday the modification of the tax rate for real estate of an urban nature, which will go from 0.50 to 0.48 percent in 2014. The Councilor for Economy and Finance, María Teresa Lorenzo, explained that citizens are "very affected" by the presentation of values from 2007, which "has nothing to do with the current reality." "The objective of this government group is to compensate for the high cadastral values with a reduction in the tax rate," she pointed out.
Lorenzo has assured that the City Council "can currently afford" a reduction to 0.48 percent, although the intention is to "continue lowering the tax rate year after year." "Now is the time to start the process of lowering taxes. An improvement in the economic situation is beginning to be noticed as a result of better management," the councilor argued.
For his part, the mayor of Arrecife, Manuel Fajardo Feo, indicated that the measure was taken after "more than a year and a half of work. "Understanding that our municipality met the established requirements, our request was communicated in a timely manner to the General Directorate of Cadastre so that the established coefficients are applicable in the 2014 fiscal year and thus we cushion the expected increase for this year," he stated.
The mayor recalled that the Arrecife City Council is subject to a state adjustment plan that it has to comply with, but has committed to "continue working to reduce the tax burden on the residents of Arrecife." This same Monday, the PP sent a press release criticizing the government group for being the "one that has raised taxes the most and the one that has invested the least."
Garbage fees
The Arrecife plenary session has also provisionally and unanimously approved the fiscal ordinance regulating the collection fee for garbage and urban solid waste. As new developments, the application sections of the tax quota are modified, establishing a fee of 25 euros for each home with an area of up to 100 square meters, 50 euros for homes between 101 and 200 square meters and 70 euros for each home with an area greater than 200 square meters.
"We have modified the sections because we consider it to be the fairest thing to do. Thus, it contributes to a better distribution of the tax burden, in a more progressive way. That is, that those who have greater economic capacity pay more," said the Councilor for Economy and Finance. Similarly, the garbage fee for properties used as parking lots and for vacant lots is eliminated, "thus responding to the requests made by many residents."
