He Santander City Council’s crane service will increase by 16 percent next year, while water and sewage rates will increase in relation to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) marked by the Government of Spain, which in this case stands at 2.8%. He rest of municipal taxes will continue frozenso they will not increase, just as the bonuses will be maintained.
This is how it progressed this Monday the mayor, Gema Igualin a press conference in which she was accompanied by the Councilor for Economy, Contracting, Purchases and European Funds, Javier García. He has also announced that the Local Government Board has approved the proposed tax ordinances for 2025which he has defined as “fair, protectionist and what the people of Santander need.”
The councilor has advanced that of these public prices, The tow truck service will increase by 16% for the removal of vehicles to the municipal depot. As detailed, This service “right now is in deficit and is only used when someone breaks the rules”, and has specified that the update of its rates is derived from the new contract that the City Council signed in the month of June.
In this sense, Igual sees it as “logical” that this “hole” does not “have to be paid by all Santander residents, but rather that it should affect those who fail to comply with the rule.” So, “Only the violator of traffic or parking rules that imply financial sanction and removal of the vehicle to the municipal depot must pay 16% more — which amounts to 197 euros including a fine.”— than today,” he stressed.
As for the water and sewage rates, has indicated that, due to the “obligation” of the contract with Acualia, the CPI must be applied and that to “alleviate this increase” the sections and bonuses will be maintained to “reduce bills for Santander families.” In this way, Bonuses will be applied consisting of a 95% reduction to the unemployed and large and single-parent families, as well as a 95% reduction to incomes below 1.5 IPREM and a 50% reduction to families in the range between 1.5 and 2.5 IPREM.
In detail about what this increase means for the people of Santander, Igual recalled that, in the municipal ordinance of Santander, there are two types of rates, domestic and non-domestic, and within each one they are billed by blocks, so that pays for what is consumed, and, furthermore, “he who consumes the most pays more.” According to an estimated calculation, for a house where two people live, with a quarterly consumption of 21 m3, the increase will be approximately 0.32 euros per month, while for a family unit of 3 or 4 people, with a quarterly consumption of 28 m3, the increase will be 0.34 euros. In the case of an average bar, the increase will be around 0.47 euros per month and for a large cafeteria, the increase will mean 4.72 euros per month.
With these tax ordinances, Igual, which has stressed that the City Council will not raise municipal taxes for the tenth consecutive year, has defended the “great effort” made by the City Council to not pass on to the people of Santander the cost derived from inflation. In addition, has highlighted that citizens “will save 12.5 million euros due to all the tax bonuses and exemptions in force”, as well as due to the non-updating of the CPI, I come out in those of “obligation by contract”.
Furthermore, he recalled that “There are taxes in which it is impossible for us to lower more, because we have them at the legal minimum” and he referred to the Real Estate Tax (IBI), of which he highlighted that Santander is the city where this receipt is the “cheapest.”
PROCESSING
After its approval in the Local Government Boardthe Tax ordinances would be debated in a plenary session for initial approvalprior approval of the Economy Commission. At this point, the mayor has expressed that The Government team is “open” to the proposals of all the political groups of the City Councilalthough, as he has specified, “the effort we have made to minimize the fiscal pressure is the maximum we can reach.”
After approval in the Plenary, the usual processing will continue, so that They will be put on public display for 30 business days and, if after that period there are no allegations, would be definitively approved automatically. If allegations are presented, they must be examined and resolved before bringing the ordinances back to the Plenary for final approval, with a view to their entry into force on January 1, 2025.
MENÉNDEZ PELAYO SCHOOL
On the other hand, to questions from the press about the cracks that appeared in the Menéndez Pelayo School, Igual has indicated that a technician is preparing a report on the matterand Its repair corresponds to the Ministry of Education with which the City Council, he stressed, “is working together”.
Furthermore, he has also pointed out that The City Council has not yet received news of the allegations that it presented to the Ministry of Transport in relation to the El Sardinero park and ride project.as well as that it will update its ordinance on tourist apartments depending on the decree approved by the Government of Cantabria.