Latest news with #IsabelRodriguez
CBS News
05-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Baltimore County residents to see 4.9% water rate hike
Baltimore County residents can expect their water bills to go up again this summer. The Baltimore City Board of Estimates (BOE) approved a 4.9% rate increase to water utility costs for Baltimore County residents beginning in July. Similar rate increases took effect in 2023 and in 2021. "That 5% increase has been going on for about four years, which we're seeing with their rates. That has narrowed that gap in what the city and county residents see in their bill significantly," said Matthew Garbark, the Interim Deputy Director at the Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW). Baltimore City and Baltimore County share water and some sewer systems, which are managed by the city. "This has been in place for almost a century now, and that is actually state law,'' Garbark said. Baltimore County residents react to water rate increase Longtime Baltimore County resident Maria Cadden said she's lived in the area for about 30 years and wasn't surprised to find out her water bill will go up. "It doesn't really 4%, you know, people that are struggling, but obviously, but to me, I always thought it was a little low compared to the city rate," Cadden said. "I guess everything's kind of going up in price," added Baltimore County resident Isabel Rodriguez. "So I don't know why I expected water bills not to just stay the same. But I'm sure my mom's not gonna be happy about it happening in the county either." Garbark told the Board on Wednesday that the increase will help close the gap between what county and city residents pay. "Based on the Water Governance Task Force, the last report that they did. The city rate payer and the county rate payer are within just about $1 or two of each other —what they pay just for water," Garbark said. Baltimore County leaders told WJZ that they feel their residents have next to no control. In a statement to WJZ, Baltimore County District 5 representative Councilman David Marks explained this is something they've worked to change. "In 2019, the Baltimore County Council urged the state legislature to create a regional water authority so there would be greater input by all residents," Marks wrote. "There has been next to no action on this initiative, which should be frustrating to all ratepayers." Baltimore City water rate increase Baltimore City approved increases to its own water, sewer, and stormwater bills earlier this year. In January, DPW's multi-year water and sewer rate increase plan was approved by the city's spending board. The BOE allowed the public to comment before voting 4-0 to raise water and sewer bills over the next three years. '"We are roughly looking at a $12 monthly increase right now – roughly $130 to $142 dollars for both water and wastewater for a family of four in the city of Baltimore," said DPW Director Khalil Zaied. Baltimore residents will see a 3% rise in their monthly water bill and a 15% sewer rate increase, beginning February 1. The increases in water and sewer rates will grow to 9% in FY26 and FY27, according to DPW. DPW said the water and sewer rate increase is necessary to help maintain the city's financial stability and update infrastructure and projects as its water and wastewater system ages. Officials said the department will be launching a $1.9 billion, six-year improvement program to address some critical infrastructure needs. The plan will focus on replacing water mains, reducing sewer overflows, and modernizing operations.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spain launches another tax raid on British holidaymakers
Are you a holiday let owner affected by the Spanish government's new tax? Get in touch money@ Spain's socialist government is planning a tax raid on British holiday let-owners in the country. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party wants to charge 21pc VAT on stays of less than 30 days – more than double the rate paid by hotels. It comes as Madrid lawmakers take aim at foreign property investors as part of efforts to tackle high housing costs. Draft legislation put before the Spanish parliament would raise taxes on owners of short-term tourist rentals from the current rate of zero. The levy rate paid by hotels is just 10pc. Unveiling the new bill last month, housing minister Isabel Rodriguez said: 'Homes are for living in [...] the measures seek to guarantee the right to rental housing for families.' The proposed change is part of the same legal push to impose a 100pc purchase tax on the sale of Spanish property to non-European Union buyers and also includes higher taxes for second homes and vacant properties. Alex Radford, partner at Spain-based law firm English Solicitor & Abogado, said: 'The VAT has got more chance of being implemented than the 100pc tax on a property bought by a non-European.' He said that if approved, the bill would likely increase the cost of holidays and lead to fewer available holiday lets in Spain. 'We would envisage that the rental [market] is going to be slightly more expensive. If owners have to add 21pc VAT to the cost of a rental, then we would expect rentals to decrease and people will look at other countries.' 'It's still early days and we don't know what will get approved and what will not,' Mr Radford added. Millions of Britons who visit and live in Spain face losing out because of the new laws, which will undergo scrutiny and potentially amendment before being voted on in the second half of this year. There were more than 260,000 British expats living in Spain at the last official count in 2020, while it received 1.6 million tourists from the UK – more than any other country – during the busy April period last year, according to the Spanish statistics agency. Robert Amsterdam, partner Amsterdam & Associates, a law firm that has campaigned against higher Spanish taxes, said: 'The Spanish government is diverting the attention of the Spanish people away from the government's behaviour and they're coming up with the British as enemy number one.' Most estimates place the number of British people who own property in Spain between 800,000 and one million. A figure for the number of British holiday let-owners in the country was not available. British non-residents bought 3,480 homes in Spain in the first half of 2024, making up 38pc of a total of 9,166 properties sold to non-resident non-EU buyers, according to the latest available figures from the General Council of Spanish Notaries and Spanish Property Insight. Growing anti-tourist sentiment in Spain has already seen cities like Malaga and Madrid capping new licences for holiday lets, while Barcelona will ban them completely by 2028. Spanish media reported in January that Barcelona's plans would cost €1.9bn (£1.6bn) and lose the city around 40,000 jobs, based on a report by consultancy PWC. The country's minority coalition government has defended a crackdown on foreign property investors and holiday let-owners as necessary to make more housing available for Spanish people. There is a deficit of 450,000 homes across Spain, according to a Bank of Spain report published this week. In popular tourist destinations like the Canary and Balearic Islands half the housing stock is either holiday lets for tourists or homes owned by foreigners, it said. Javier Peñate, a legal adviser to a holiday homeowners association in the Canary Islands, told Reuters: 'The sole objective is to put an end to these activities and leave [tourism] in the hands of hoteliers.' Short-term rentals in the province already pay 7pc VAT, as do hotels. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
05-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Spain launches another tax raid on British holidaymakers
Are you a holiday let owner affected by the Spanish government's new tax? Get in touch money@ Spain's socialist government is planning a tax raid on British holiday let-owners in the country. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party wants to charge 21pc VAT on stays of less than 30 days – more than double the rate paid by hotels. It comes as Madrid lawmakers take aim at foreign property investors as part of efforts to tackle high housing costs. Draft legislation put before the Spanish parliament would raise taxes on owners of short-term tourist rentals from the current rate of zero. The levy rate paid by hotels is just 10pc. Unveiling the new bill last month, housing minister Isabel Rodriguez said: 'Homes are for living in [...] the measures seek to guarantee the right to rental housing for families.' The proposed change is part of the same legal push to impose a 100pc purchase tax on the sale of Spanish property to non-European Union buyers and also includes higher taxes for second homes and vacant properties. Alex Radford, partner at Spain-based law firm English Solicitor & Abogado, said: 'The VAT has got more chance of being implemented than the 100pc tax on a property bought by a non-European.' He said that if approved, the bill would likely increase the cost of holidays and lead to fewer available holiday lets in Spain. 'We would envisage that the rental [market] is going to be slightly more expensive. If owners have to add 21pc VAT to the cost of a rental, then we would expect rentals to decrease and people will look at other countries.' 'It's still early days and we don't know what will get approved and what will not,' Mr Radford added. 'Britons are the number one enemy' Millions of Britons who visit and live in Spain face losing out because of the new laws, which will undergo scrutiny and potentially amendment before being voted on in the second half of this year. There were more than 260,000 British expats living in Spain at the last official count in 2020, while it received 1.6 million tourists from the UK – more than any other country – during the busy April period last year, according to the Spanish statistics agency. Robert Amsterdam, partner Amsterdam & Associates, a law firm that has campaigned against higher Spanish taxes, said: 'The Spanish government is diverting the attention of the Spanish people away from the government's behaviour and they're coming up with the British as enemy number one.' Most estimates place the number of British people who own property in Spain between 800,000 and one million. A figure for the number of British holiday let-owners in the country was not available. British non-residents bought 3,480 homes in Spain in the first half of 2024, making up 38pc of a total of 9,166 properties sold to non-resident non-EU buyers, according to the latest available figures from the General Council of Spanish Notaries and Spanish Property Insight. Growing anti-tourist sentiment in Spain has already seen cities like Malaga and Madrid capping new licences for holiday lets, while Barcelona will ban them completely by 2028. Spanish media reported in January that Barcelona's plans would cost €1.9bn (£1.6bn) and lose the city around 40,000 jobs, based on a report by consultancy PWC. The country's minority coalition government has defended a crackdown on foreign property investors and holiday let-owners as necessary to make more housing available for Spanish people. There is a deficit of 450,000 homes across Spain, according to a Bank of Spain report published this week. In popular tourist destinations like the Canary and Balearic Islands half the housing stock is either holiday lets for tourists or homes owned by foreigners, it said. Javier Peñate, a legal adviser to a holiday homeowners association in the Canary Islands, told Reuters: 'The sole objective is to put an end to these activities and leave [tourism] in the hands of hoteliers.' Short-term rentals in the province already pay 7pc VAT, as do hotels.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spain launches another tax raid on British holidaymakers
Are you a holiday let owner affected by the Spanish government's new tax? Get in touch money@ Spain's socialist government is planning a tax raid on British holiday let-owners in the country. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party wants to charge 21pc VAT on stays of less than 30 days – more than double the rate paid by hotels. It comes as Madrid lawmakers take aim at foreign property investors as part of efforts to tackle high housing costs. Draft legislation put before the Spanish parliament would raise taxes on owners of short-term tourist rentals from the current rate of zero. The suggested 21pc levy is more than double the 10pc paid by hotels. Unveiling the new bill last month, housing minister Isabel Rodriguez said: 'Homes are for living in [...] the measures seek to guarantee the right to rental housing for families.' The proposed change is part of the same legal push to impose a 100pc purchase tax on the sale of Spanish property to non-European Union buyers and also includes higher taxes for second homes and vacant properties. Alex Radford, partner at Spain-based law firm English Solicitor & Abogado, said: 'The VAT has got more chance of being implemented than the 100pc tax on a property bought by a non-European.' He said that if approved, the bill would likely increase the cost of holidays and lead to fewer available holiday lets in Spain. 'We would envisage that the rental [market] is going to be slightly more expensive. If owners have to add 21pc VAT to the cost of a rental, then we would expect rentals to decrease and people will look at other countries.' 'It's still early days and we don't know what will get approved and what will not,' Mr Radford added. Millions of Britons who visit and live in Spain face losing out because of the new laws, which will undergo scrutiny and potentially amendment before being voted on in the second half of this year. There were more than 260,000 British expats living in Spain at the last official count in 2020, while it received 1.6 million tourists from the UK – more than any other country – during the busy April period last year, according to the Spanish statistics agency. Robert Amsterdam, partner Amsterdam & Associates, a law firm that has campaigned against higher Spanish taxes, said: 'The Spanish government is diverting the attention of the Spanish people away from the government's behaviour and they're coming up with the British as enemy number one.' Most estimates place the number of British people who own property in Spain between 800,000 and one million. A figure for the number of British holiday let-owners in the country was not available. British non-residents bought 3,480 homes in Spain in the first half of 2024, making up 38pc of a total of 9,166 properties sold to non-resident non-EU buyers, according to the latest available figures from the General Council of Spanish Notaries and Spanish Property Insight. Growing anti-tourist sentiment in Spain has already seen cities like Malaga and Madrid capping new licences for holiday lets, while Barcelona will ban them completely by 2028. Spanish media reported in January that Barcelona's plans would cost €1.9bn (£1.6bn) and lose the city around 40,000 jobs, based on a report by consultancy PWC. The country's minority coalition government has defended a crackdown on foreign property investors and holiday let-owners as necessary to make more housing available for Spanish people. There is a deficit of 450,000 homes across Spain, according to a Bank of Spain report published this week. In popular tourist destinations like the Canary and Balearic Islands half the housing stock is either holiday lets for tourists or homes owned by foreigners, it said. Javier Peñate, a legal adviser to a holiday homeowners association in the Canary Islands, told Reuters: 'The sole objective is to put an end to these activities and leave [tourism] in the hands of hoteliers.' Short-term rentals in the province already pay 7pc VAT, as do hotels.
The Independent
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Spain Airbnb prices could soar as tourism hotspot brings in new tax
Spain's government has proposed a new 21 per cent value-added tax (VAT) on short-term tourist rentals, doubling the rate for hotel rooms, in a bid to tackle the country's housing crisis. The move aims to address growing concerns over the availability and affordability of housing for residents, as landlords increasingly favour more profitable short-term lets. The proposed tax, which would apply to all rentals under 30 days, would impact a significant portion of Spain's tourism sector. Last year, approximately a third of the 94 million visitors to Spain chose to rent homes instead of hotel rooms, which are currently subject to a 10 per cent VAT. No VAT is currently levied on short-term rentals in mainland Spain. This measure forms part of a broader housing bill presented by the Socialist-led minority government. However, navigating the bill through a deeply divided parliament presents a significant challenge. Housing Minister Isabel Rodriguez emphasised the intent behind the legislation, stating, "Homes are for living in (...) the measures seek to guarantee the right to rental housing for families." The Spanish government faces the delicate task of balancing the economic benefits of tourism, a key driver of the nation's economy, with the pressing need to address public anxieties over escalating housing costs. The increasing shift towards tourist rentals has exacerbated the housing shortage, making it more difficult for residents to find affordable accommodation. A Bank of Spain report this week said the country has a deficit of 450,000 homes. Half the housing stock in the Canary and Balearic islands is either tourist accommodation or homes owned by non-residents, it said. Apartur, an association of tourism apartment owners in Spain's second city Barcelona, argues that shorter-term rentals should pay the same VAT as hotels and calls the proposed 21 per cent VAT rate discriminatory. The bill under consideration also includes a controversial measure first announced in January to tax non-European Union citizens up to 100 per cent on property purchases unless it will be their primary home, as well as increasing taxes payable by owners of empty properties, including second homes. "The sole objective is to put an end to these activities and leave (tourism) in the hands of hoteliers," said Javier Peñate, legal advisor to a holiday homeowners association in the Canary Islands, where short-term rentals already pay 7 per cent VAT, as do hotels. Local and regional authorities are also capping new licences for tourist rentals in Malaga and Madrid, while banning them entirely in Barcelona by 2028.
