Dubs to pay majority of new property tax

NEW local property tax estimates produced by Dublin Chamber of Commerce have found that 54 per cent of the property tax revenue will come from homes in the Greater Dublin Area.

The estimates were published last week just before valuation letters issued by the Revenue Commissioners started to drop into letterboxes all around the city.

The chamber, which represents the city’s business community, believes the new tax discriminates against Dubliners.

“This plan completely lacks regional fairness, as those who live in urban areas pay significantly more than rural areas for the same type of house,

? said Dublin Chamber Chief Executive, Gina Quin.

“For example, the cost of a three bed family home in Dublin is 80 per cent higher than a similar size house in the Midlands. So, a family in Dublin on the same income as someone in the Midlands will have had to pay considerably more for their home, and be taxed for the privilege.

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Dublin Chamber’s estimates of total property tax take by local authority is based on data it collected by property website Daft.ie and the CSO as part of the census.

According to the chamber, analysis shows that County Dublin will raise approximately 42 per cent of the property tax, while funding to the local authorities in Dublin from the local government fund for 2013 is only 18 per cent.

“A local property tax is about funding local services,

? said Ms Quin.

“But the figures show that money raised locally in Dublin will not be staying locally.

“The introduction of a true system of local funding for local services would greatly enhance public awareness of the benefits of the services they receive from local government and of the costs of running them.

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