Higher tax on vacant developer properties? There will be legislative initiatives in Silesia

Razem activists announced legislative initiatives regarding higher taxation of vacant developer properties in Bytom, Chorzów, Gliwice and Sosnowiec. On Wednesday, they announced at a press conference that they would soon start collecting signatures for civic draft resolutions.

The proposal of Razem activists assumes that vacant properties owned by developers and investment funds will be subject to a higher real estate tax rate.

– This should be obvious. Condos are for living, not speculation. If developers, or investment funds, treat these apartments simply as a commercial investment, they should pay taxes as for commercial activity – said Razem MP Maciej Konieczny.

He pointed to a good example Katowice, where a higher property tax rate already applies. In Katowice, unsold developer apartments are treated as real estate related to running a business, which is subject to a tax of PLN 34 per square meter. In the case of apartments, it is PLN 1.19 per square meter.

– Together with the residents (…) we will start collecting signatures for draft resolutions that we will send to our local governments. These will be resolutions aimed at increasing real estate tax for housing speculators, emphasized Ewa Surowiec, activist of Razem z Bytomia.

Razem activists pointed out that imposing a higher tax on developer vacant properties would bring results additional revenues to the budgets of local governments. Moreover – in their opinion – it will have a positive impact on the housing market – as an incentive to sell empty apartments.

Pursuant to the Act on municipal self-government, a group of residents with voting rights may submit a citizen's legislative initiative. In communes up to 5 thousand inhabitants, support (signatures) of at least 100 people must be collected, in municipalities up to 20,000. inhabitants of at least 200 people, and in communes over 20 thousand. inhabitants of at least 300 people.

Councilors should deal with the citizens' legislative initiative at the next session after submitting the project, but no later than after three months. The legislative initiative committee has the right to appoint a person to represent it during the council's work.

Detailed rules regarding citizen legislative initiatives are determined by the councils of individual communes. (PAP)

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