50% tax help for poorer residents
Barcelona has started subsidies for less economically stable families. The ‘Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles’ (IBI) will offer families help by paying 50% of their taxes. 3.5 million euros is going to be put towards the scheme which will help around 20,000 households.
Gerardo Pisarello, the first lieutenant of the mayor, has stated that help will be given to families with little money who either own or are renting property. The government will contribute the equivalent of 50% IBI, up to a maximum of 175 euros. He said that they expect there will be lots of applications because of the financial demand on families.
This subsidy has been introduced because of the increase in tax for property that values from 300,000 euros, which they believe will affect around 2% of people. It will help those who cannot apply for extensions or benefits from the law, including single parent families, unemployed, those who do not have pensions that contribute to living, ‘Renta Activa de Inserción, as well as those who have used up their benefits, and others.
The applications will be available from 5th October until 4th November and can be located at any ‘Oficina de Atención al Ciudadano’ (OAC) or online. The oficinas have employed around 28 workers and there are adverts with images of Pisarello next to the manager, Jordi Ayala. But this has caused campaigns by Social Services that to make the public aware of the subsidies.
New forms of assistance such as this are part of the plans by the government of Ada Colau that will aim to redistribute finances and offer more equality for the population. It will also give IBI subsidies to new independent workers, symbolic trades and cultural establishments and others. It will offer 7.2 million euros more to the 800,000 euros provided before.
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