Leitrim County Council has agreed to increase the Local Property Tax by 15 % in 2020.
The decision was taken by Councillors at a special meeting yesterday.
The increase will mean that 60% of Leitrim’s home owners will pay an additional 26 cents a week, a further 35% of homeowners will pay 65 cents more a week in local property tax.
The increase will help the council to generate an additional €320,000 in funds which is expected to be used in €276m of investment for the county as part of a six year capital investment programme.
The details of this programme was outlined by the CEO of the local authority, Lar Power at yesterday’s one agenda meeting.
This strategic investment programme will focus on the delivery of projects in areas such as tourism development, regeneration and development of town centres, job creation and community development.
Enda McGloin is the Cathaoirleacht of Leitrim County Council.
He says need that increase in the property tax was necessary to provide matching funding which has been earmarked for a number of ambitious projects in the County.
Some Councillors did express concerns over applying an increase to the local property tax but they eventually acknowledged the need for greater investment in the county.
However a counter proposal to retain the existing adjustment rate for Leitrim unchanged was put forward by Cllr Mary Bohan and seconded by Cllr Padraig Fallon. The proposal was defeated by 12 votes to five with one member absent from the meeting. Drumshanbo based Councillors Gerry Dolan and Brendan Barry along with Des Guickan also backed the counter proposal by Mary Bohan.
Manorhamilton MD Sinn Fein Councillor Padraig Fallon that any increases should have been held back until a revenue into the values of property will take next year.
