Dundalk councillors give mixed views on potential property tax rise

Following the announcement at last week's June Louth County Council Meeting by Chief Executive Joan Martin that she would be seeking a 15 percent increase in the Local Property Tax (LPT) this September, the Democrat spoke to local councillors to find out if they would be supporting the proposal.

In response, Dundalk Green Party councillor Marianne Butler highlighted the reserves held in the Council's 2018 budget.

According to the unaudited annual financial statement of Louth County Council for year ended December 31 2018, Cllr Butler said “at the end of 2017 we had €395,594 in reserves.

“A further €149,926 was added in 2018. As at end of last year we had €545,520 in general reserve.

“Before any change in local property tax is considered for 2020, I would like the money sitting in reserves put to use!”, Cllr Butler remarked.

Dundalk Sinn Féin councillor Ruairí Ó Murchú was against any increase, and pointed to his party's opposition to the LPT, saying:

“Sinn Féin recognises that central government is simply not allocating enough resources to local authorities across the State to enable them to adequately carry out their duties.

“We oppose the Local Property Tax, which actually delivers less money to local authorities than the preceding grant system.

“We are open to discussions on alternative methods of funding local councils but the property tax is flawed and the proposed revaluation date for the LPT late in 2020 could have really drastic consequences for the amounts that households will be expected to pay.”

Dundalk Fine Gael councillor John McGahon said that he wanted to discuss the LPT with his Fine Gael colleagues to decide what their position would be on an increase, but he shared some views on his position last year and his general views on such.

“Last year I supported a 10% increase in the property tax, providing the money was ring fenced and that was to be spent on maintenance on our rural roads and housing maintenance also. I remember at the time the chief executive saying that if you're going to increase it you couldn't ring fence it.

“In principal I don't have a problem with increasing it. I certainly don't support a decrease in the property tax whatsoever because I think that leaves a massive black hole in the already strained finances of Louth CoCo and I think it would be very irresponsible of anyone to vote for a decrease in the property tax.

“It is something I want to discuss with my FG colleagues however and go from there”, Cllr McGahon concluded.