Infrastructure fees have been reduced, but… | Singer’s word

Infrastructure taxes were significantly reduced at the last meeting of the Alytus City Municipal Council, but according to Andriaus Jučas, the opposition representative of the council, the head of the Anti-Corruption Commission, the member of the Environment and Development Committee and the leader of the TS-LKD faction, Andriaus Jučas, such a decision will not bring the expected result.

According to the decision of the municipal council, in three development areas, in order to encourage the construction of one- and two-family buildings, 60 percent reduced infrastructure development contribution. These areas already have developed infrastructure of one kind or another and it is desired that all the necessary infrastructure be installed in them during construction.

Infrastructure development fees have been reduced in three areas of the city – in the second zone, a new price of EUR 12 (was EUR 30), in the third – EUR 20 (was EUR 50), and in the fifth – EUR 16 (was EUR 40) per square meter of the total area of ​​one- and two-family buildings. .

“Approximately 200 sq. m for the construction of an individual house, the infrastructure development fee for a one-family or two-family building in the second zone would be EUR 2,400, in the fifth – EUR 3,200, and in the third – EUR 4,000,” the municipality’s statement reads.

Before the meeting, the opposition had prepared and presented an alternative draft of the above-mentioned decision, offering a symbolic contribution – for the construction of a 150-square-meter house in the most popular zone 5, a contribution of only EUR 60 should be paid. 100 times lower than it was before the reduction.

The alternative was presented after taking into account the fact that the number of issued construction permits for private houses in Alytus fell sharply, more than twice, when comparing the years 2022 and 2023. In addition, the large infrastructure tax was not collected, so it is not possible to bring the municipal infrastructure (sewage and drinking water) to the settlers and it is not clear when it will be brought.

“Apparently, there are several reasons, but one of them is the infrastructure tax, which is one of the highest in Lithuania in our city,” stated A. Jučas’s announcement.

However, the ruling majority did not consider the alternative presented by the opposition.

“I think that the infrastructure tax should have been reduced according to the proposed option. Judging by the way we collected taxes to the budget with a large contribution during the year, without collecting anything in principle and not being able to ensure the introduction of networks, we are only killing people who started building houses in the municipality of Alytus district. I don’t think that lowering the tax will increase the number of residents building houses, and even more so we won’t collect taxes for the construction of infrastructure,” emphasized A. Jučas.

According to him, it was better to accept the offer and try to attract people by saying that there is no infrastructure charge, rather than usury by adding infrastructure charges to the plot. After all, people establishing themselves in Alytus pay other taxes, so it is better to help them through other taxes.

“Glory to the Alytus district, our city leaders don’t understand this or I don’t know what their motives are.” We are called a city of families, and all the decisions of the rulers show other trends”, stressed conservative A. Jučas.

Representatives of the opposition also promise not to give up on one of the largest kindergarten taxes in Lithuania. “This month or the next, we will include proposals on the reduction of kindergarten fees in our agenda. These taxes are disproportionately high, because Alytus is not the big city with the highest salaries, we do not reach the average salaries of Vilnius. Children need to be sent to kindergartens, and the price is not very adequate according to the average salaries”, claimed A. Jučas.