Cllr James Charity has sharply criticised central Government for communicating that there will be no increase in Central Exchequer funding to County Galway in 2018.
In a communication to the local authority, the Department confirmed that the local property tax allocation from Central Exchequer funds to Galway County Council will remain the same as 2017 at 14,517,890.
Cllr Charity said; “Having voted against an increase in local property tax last year and warning that central Government would turn their backs on the county if the council set the precedent of placing additional costs on Galway taxpayers, it comes as little surprise that no additional funding is being provided for 2018.
“My fear now is that those Fianna Fail and Fine Gael Councillors who imposed a 10 per cent increase in local property tax on every homeowner in County Galway this year will repeat this action for 2018 when it comes time to pass the budget in October.
“At the same time, local property tax reductions are taking place annually in Dublin and along the east coast, making the decision to increase local property tax here a targeted attack on living in rural Ireland and the west. Homeowners in the west should not continue to be punished while those in Dublin and the surrounding areas are rewarded year on year and this needs to be impressed on all Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councilllors in Galway by their constituents.”
