Rocío Gómez, the spokesperson for the PP municipal group in the Altea Council, has exploited the fact that residents are now receiving the notice of the next payment of the Property Tax, IBI, by post or email. The deadline for this payment is October 10th, and the local government team (Compromís -PSOE) has been harshly criticised for the 40 percent increase in the IBI, which was approved in the June 2024 plenary session. The Popular Party has already denounced the increase as the largest tax increase in the history of Altea, and it is in addition to the increase in capital gains (300%), the ICIO (32%), and the rubbish collection tax (28%) that was approved in the previous year. All of this has occurred since Diego Zaragozí assumed the role of mayor.
Gómez asserted that “the disparity is evident: a property tax receipt that was €324 in 2024 now costs €451, and an individual who paid €510 will now pay €710.” He also stated that “no matter how much they attempt to obscure the fact and pretend that the people of Altea forget about this tax increase, promising aid that does not yet exist, the reality is that when they open their email and compare it to last year’s, families will clearly see how they were deceived: not a single new deduction or bonus appears,” he added.
The Popular Party leader also criticised the mayor and his team for announcing “supposed aid” for the most vulnerable families, which was announced by the Finance Councillor on the 4th but has not yet been approved. “They are applying a bandage to the wound, but the truth is that the wound has already been inflicted, and we are all bearing the consequences by imposing a disproportionate increase that is suffocating families,” she insisted.
Rocío Gómez further stated that “the allegedly sound economic management they (Compromís and PSOE) are selling comes at the expense of squeezing the people of Altea with exorbitant increases while neglecting the essentials: we do not have a cleaner Altea nor more genuine services.” Instead, they are demolishing what was already in place, such as the Social Centre that was established for our seniors. Currently, the sole reality is that Altea families are already incurring a 40% increase in property taxes as a result of Compromís and PSOE. Smoke and illusions comprise the remainder. The spokesperson for the Popular Party concluded that the logical course of action would be to reduce the property tax, rather than to raise it so dramatically, in the event of a surplus.
Altea, the municipality in the region with the lowest taxation
It is important to recall that the plenary session of last June approved the increase in property taxes (IBI), the increase in the value of urban land (capital gains tax), and the increase in construction, installations, and public works taxes (ICIO) beginning in 2025. Compromís and the PSOE, which comprise the governing team, voted in favour of the proposal, while the PP and Vox voted against it. The capital gains tax would increase by 238 percent (from 8 to 27 percent), the IBI would increase by 40 percent (from 0.503 to 0.700), and the ICIO would increase by 49 percent for major projects and 64 percent for minor projects under the new tax rates.
The Councillor for Finance, José María Borja (PSOE), argued during the debate that Altea remains the municipality with the lowest taxes in the region, despite this increase. He also announced the taxes of Benidorm, La Nucía, L’Alfàs, and Calpe. Nevertheless, the opposition groups did not hold the same favourable perspective on these increases. Consequently, Rocío Gómez, spokesperson for the Popular Party, declared that “this is the plenary session of shame.” A plenary session that is more significant than the budget session, which, however, proposes a severe increase in the IBI (Property Property), Capital Gains Tax (Capital Gains Tax), and ICIO (Tax Indices), which will negatively impact Altea families. Diego Manuel Coello Beltrán (Vox) pointed out that the increases in these taxes will generate over 4 million euros annually, which will already satisfy the government team’s deficit. Additionally, you will allocate funds to gender and language policies, among other things.
Borja declared during the plenary session that Altea maintains the lowest rate in comparison to L’Alfàs, Calpe, Benidorm, and La Nucía, with a rate of 0.700, following the revision of the IBI (Property Tax). The Finance Councillor stated that Altea will have a capital gains tax rate of 27 percent, while Benidorm, Calpe, La Nucia, and L’Alfàs will have rates of 30 percent, 29 percent, 28 percent, and 27 percent, respectively. He stated that the ICIO (Property Tax) is significantly lower than the base price established by the Valencian Building Institute.
Subsidy for property taxes for families and individuals who are vulnerable
However, it is important to mention that on the 4th, the Councillors for Finance, José María Borja, and for Social Welfare and Equality, Anna Lanuza, announced that the City Council was introducing a new line of financial aid. This aid is intended to cover the property tax that is owed by individuals and families in vulnerable situations, including those over 65, pensioners, legally unemployed individuals, large families, single-parent or single-mother families, victims of gender-based violence, The councillors stated that the subsidy can cover the entire amount of the tax bill, with a maximum of €300 per application. Additionally, they stated that the application period for the subsidy will open in January 2026 to ensure that individuals whose property tax bills have been paid in installments until next December are not excluded.
Author: Derek Appleton
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