The Association for Small & Medium Business for Almuñécar and La Herradura (APYME) has decried the ‘disproportionate’ rise in property tax (IBI), which went up by 10% for 2012.

APYME considers it a ‘brutal’ increase in the context of the present economical climate, as the increase of 10% is the maximum permitted by legislation that a municipal council can raise the IBI.

The association has qualified this move as a ‘castigation of citizens,’ lamenting that the Council chose to use the maximum increase permissible.

“Not only is the new administration going back on its electoral pledge that they would not increase taxes, but the tax hike is also an authentic punishment. We thus ask the Council to reconsider, choosing instead the minimum increase instead of the maximum one,” said the association’s spokes person.

On the other hand, the Town Hall has announced that numerous families in Almuñécar and La Herradura could received between 40% and 50% off their IBI bill, which in compliance of the governing party’s proposal when they were in the opposition in January 2008.

The Councillor for Social Welfare, Maria del Carmen Reinoso, reminded those interested that they have until the end of February to apply for this allowance.

(News: Almunecar/Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)