The representatives of Liberec agreed to increase the property tax for industrial and commercial areas, which cause a higher traffic load. The city should thus receive up to 60 million crowns, which it will use to repair roads and bridges.
On Thursday, the representatives of Liberec approved a plan to increase the property tax from next year for industrial and commercial areas that cause increased traffic burden. The city should get an additional 40 to 60 million crowns per year. The mayor informed about it at the council meeting Jaroslav Zamečník (Mayors for the Liberec Region). According to him, they want to use this money primarily to repair roads, especially bridges.
The increased tax should be paid by companies that, according to the spatial plan, at least half belong to the areas of light production and commercial sales. There are 51 such locations around the city. However, part of the opposition criticized the set criteria, according to them, they do not include all businesses that increase the burden on the roads. “One of the most visible bottlenecks is the site in Harcov, the site of Syner, which undoubtedly generates a higher load, because construction materials and machines are stored there, and I assume that heavier trucks leave the site on the surrounding roads. However, in the spatial plan it is included in the areas of mixed central areas, and thus the increased real estate tax will not be applied to it.” said the opposition representative Jindřich Felcman (LOL).
Deputy Mayor Adam Lenert (YES) said that they tried to go the most objective way when setting the criteria. “Of course, we do not rule out that this measure of a general nature will be supplemented and updated in the future,” he added.
The so-called measure of a general nature, which will mean a tax increase for companies and shops, will be approved by the representatives in two months. According to Lenert, there will be a public hearing before that. “Everyone will be able to give comments and objections. Subsequently, those objections will be evaluated and at the June council meeting, if there is the will of the council, the measure of a general nature will be issued.” he added.
Last year, the town hall in Liberec received around 140 million crowns in real estate tax. Of this, 70 million from house and apartment owners and roughly the same amount from business entities. This year, the town hall expects a 100 million crown higher income thanks to the government consolidation package approved last year. Even this property tax increase did not completely cover the shortfall in other revenues from shared taxes, which was also part of the government’s consolidation package. This is what should offset the property tax increase for industrial and commercial areas.
