Commercial rates in county Tipperary could be increased by up to 6% when Councillors vote on the matter at the annual Budget Meeting which is now postponed to December 6th.
The meeting was originally due on November 29th but has been postponed due to the impact of the General Election on the workload of Council staff in staffing Polling booths.
The council executive expects that €2M in additional funds could be raised by increasing the rates charge and says the revenue is needed to help fund a range of services from public lighting to CCTV and refurbishing vacant social houses. County Tipperary has the fourth lowest commercial rates multiplier in the country and the Council Executive says it too is impacted by increases in the cost of inputs as it tries to maintain and expand services.
It remains to be seen if a compromise proposal will emerge at the December 6th meeting of the 40 Tipperary Councillors.
Cllr David Dunne is calling on general election candidates currently serving as Councillors to come clean on their voting intentions on the proposed rates rise ahead of polling day on November 29th. Cllr Dunne based in Carrick on Suir says “many shops and pubs are struggling to make ends meet. They shouldn’t be expected to fill the gap left by inadequate government funding.”
Tipperary Sinn Fein TD Martin Browne took a similar view saying anybody intent on demanding more of businesses, after demanding more of households, must stand up and be counted. The TD says the Government is guilty of wasting money while leaving Councils short of adequate funding causing increases in the Local Property Tax and now possibly an increase in Commercial Rates.
