Maasdriel raises property tax (ozb) by 28.3%
Maasdriel's municipal council passed a budget on Thursday evening that sharply raises the property tax (ozb) for residents and businesses, to help close a €3.5m budget shortfall.
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Illustrative photo: Jaak Temmerman / CC0
Homeowners and businesses in Maasdriel will pay 28.3% more in property tax, the onroerendezaakbelasting (ozb), next year. A majority of the municipal council approved the budget containing the rise on Thursday evening.
A household in an average home, with a WOZ value of €507,000, will pay about €132 more a year. Its tax bill rises from €423 to €555.
The municipal executive wants the rise to tackle a budget shortfall of €3.5m, caused mainly by sharply higher youth care costs. The higher tax should bring in about €2m a year. The municipality plans to cover the remaining €1.5m in other ways.
The coalition parties Hart voor Maasdriel, VVD and CDA backed the budget, saying the increase is necessary to put the municipality's finances in order. The SGP also voted in favour.
The opposition parties PRO, D66 and Samen Sterk Maasdriel voted against, partly because of the higher tax for residents and businesses.
The executive says it has already looked critically at spending. Further cuts would, in its view, hurt facilities, maintenance and services, which the municipality wants to keep up.
Alderman (wethouder) Bernd Taselaar earlier called the increase a painful but necessary choice. He stressed there is no intention to raise the tax this sharply every year, but he did not rule out that more measures will be needed in future.
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