Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Ferris has criticised her colleagues in Kerry County Council for voting to maintain the current rate of Local Property Tax for next year.
At a meeting yesterday, Kerry county councillors voted in favour of approving a 10% increase in the base rate of the LPT for the next three years.
Councillors have the power to alter the rate of Local Property Tax above or below the base rate by 15 per cent; yesterday’s vote keeps the LPT rate the same as this year, until the end of 2027.
Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Ferris’ proposal to reduce the tax to 15% below the base rate was defeated.
She says the tax is being used to meet a shortfall in central funding for local authorities.
Fianna Fáil councillor Norma Moriarty’s proposal the rate of 10% above the base rate be kept for the next three years was agreed by a majority of councillors.
She rejects the claim from Cllr Ferris that it’s a non-progressive tax which hits lower-income families hardest.
