LPT rate changes

zell12

I see the County voted +15% in property tax. When do City councillors vote on changing LPT? Any idea how councillors view the issue?

Geuze

Councils used to have to vote about the LAF before September, so as to tell the central Govt / Revenue.

I suspect that is still the case.

The management typically want the LAF to be used, and +15%,

A few years agao, not many LA applied the full +15%.

But by 2022/2023, most LA apply the +15%.

Geuze

2023 LPT data

Geuze

2024 LPT data:

zell12

I was right to start thread, it turns out that

the current City coalition is understood not to have included tax as an agreed policy platform when it coalesced after the elections in May.

Bonkers! FF infighting, Labour want a wealth tax, potentially 3 councillors running in the upcoming GE..

https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/143285/taxing-times-for-city-council

Titbit: Council spends €10m per month to keep Galway functioning

zell12

CEO Leonard Cleary said inflation and rising operational costs since 2019 meant the council had to chose which projects could proceed..

A planned meeting on the LPT was adjourned last week, after members failed to reach agreement.. Those discussions have been rescheduled for 14th October. Council estimates that the majority of businesses would see their rates increase €20 a week next year, if the proposed increase were approved.

https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2024/1010/1474698-galway-lpt/

Calahonda52

Don't forget how CG fcuked over the LAs when this wa introduced.

LA vehicles were liveried with how this extra money would be used to improve services lovcally blah blah blah

All that happened was that CG funded was cut to match the LPT per LA so LAs were no better off

zell12

Woohoo, more tax! No breakdown yet on who voted for/against the LAF

It is the first time the LPT has been increased in Galway, since the tax was introduced.

https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2024/1014/1475389-galway-lpt/

smurf492

Penalize homeowners to improve what...their own pockets. Can't see much infrastructure being improved around the city.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122719208#Comment_122719208

Pity not more analysis on how much was taken in via LPT was first introduced v's now in the City

cr-07

✅️ In Favour of 15% increase

Cllrs Lyons, McDonnell, O'Flaherty, Fahy, Hoare, Seoighthe, Curran, McNelis and Mayor Keane.

❌️ Against 15% increase

Cllrs Cubbard, Burke, McDonagh, Ogbu, Cheevers, Connolly, S Forde, Higgins and J Forde.

9 - 9 final vote with Mayor Keane with the casting vote

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122720131#Comment_122720131

So only the PD's and SD's consistent on voting as a BLOCK?

xckjoo

Looks like it's ring fenced for certain things. Which I like in principle if it's targetted correctly.

I don't have a huge problem with it in theory. LPT does a decent approximation of a wealth tax so it's pretty fair.

Homelander

This is probably as much as you'll get in terms of a closer look. Interesting there was such a split when the county was so politically aligned and here you have people in the same party voting different ways.

https://www.galwaybayfm.ie/galway-city/15-city-councillors-explain-why-they-voted-yes-or-no-to-15-increase-to-local-property-tax-179043

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122721136#Comment_122721136

Where you have splits within parties, those voting no include all the Councillors who have either declared as general election candidates or who are thought likely to run. Not a coincidence, I would think.

Unrealistic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122721091#Comment_122721091

That would be my thought too. It is in effect a wealth tax and it does have built in provisions for low income homeowners, where they can defer payment, I think until the house is sold or inherited.

rustyfrog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122721091#Comment_122721091

That's only true if the previous funding for those things was and will continue to be ring fenced too. Otherwise they'll use the previous funds for something different and swap in this "ring fenced" money, which could be less than previous funding. Ring fencing money is political spin.

xckjoo

Why would they negotiate and approve a budget and then pull the legs out from under it? Would seem very short-sighted from the new GM who'll probably be working with some of the councillors for the rest of his career.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen but I can't see who'd benefit from it here.