The majority of Waterford City and County councillors have voted for no increase to their Local Property Tax (LPT) for 2020. While Waterford’s Chief Executive (CE) Mr Michael Walsh had sought a 10% increase; Councillors representing Independents, Labour, Green Party and Sinn Féin, voted for a freeze on the current LPT rate for the coming year, 2020.
Unlike Waterford county; Local Property Taxes here in Co. Tipperary will increase by 10% next year, despite serious debate within the Council Chamber on the issue, with Fine Gael councillors in bulk, voting in favour of the increases by a margin of 21 votes to 14. House owners currently paying €405 in Local Property Tax, will now be forced to pay an extra €40.50 more, per annum from 2020, to receive no benefit whatsoever for their tax payment.
While Tipperary Co. Council’s executive had originally sought a 15% increase in Tipperary’s LPT for next year, the 10% increase achieved is expected to yield some €1.2 million for Tipperary Co. Council to waste in 2020.
Tipperary Co. Council’s financial forecast for 2020 is €9.5 million from locally raised LPT, with a further €16.5 million in contributions from the Equalisation Fund of tax raised in other counties. Indeed Co. Tipperary remains the highest beneficiary in our Republic, from same equalisation funding.
Grants allocated from the Council’s General Municipal Allocation (GMA) funding is expected to suck up most of this extra funding, through wasted contributions to annual festival committees, latter which few visitors ever attend. While other funding will be doled out on projects like so called local job creation initiatives and grants for the painting of town centre properties; all to be found listed amongst a host of other spurious projects, with little real accountability being offered.
Still, you never know; we might get proper entry signs on the roads entering into the town, pointing out that Thurles is no longer the home of Erin Foods; same having gone out of production 11 years ago.
Well done Waterford Councillors. You represented your constituents well, who at this time are paying enough Property Tax. Our Tipperary Councillors have again let us down. 10% may not seem a huge amount but I do not know anyone who has had a 10% increase in their salaries to counteract this increase. Shame on you Tipperary Councillors. You are all in now for 5 years and you have forgotten all your promises you made prior to the Election.