ISSUE NO. 1601
10 - 16 March 2016
MALLORCA
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
Taxation but no representation? FIGHTING over the spoils of proposed tourist tax in the Balearic parliament By Matthew Elliott The controversial tourist tax planned for Mallorca was the subject of a row in the Balearic parliament as local party Mes proposed that some €5 million of the revenue be used to fund social housing for the elderly. The notion sparked furore among tourists, residents and other parties who believe that, should the tax be levied, the funds should at the very least be used for touristic purposes. Despite the hurdle, it is expected that the main parties will come to an agreement and pass the law before Easter, meaning tourists arriving from June onwards will be expected to pay between €1 and €2 per day throughout their stay. The proposals have been heavily criticised by the tourism industry and will doubtlessly be grudgingly accepted by visitors who may
look elsewhere unless the anticipated €50 million plus revenue is ploughed into tourist infrastructure. Left wing party Podemos has demanded that the tax be used primarily to sustain and improve the island’s ecology and environment. There is also dispute as to how much of the treasure trove is split between the islands, the extent it should change between seasons, and what the cap should be. Whatever the conclusion, millions of British and German tourists will be expecting more value for their money.
Just Palma THE Balearic government has come out in favour of amending local laws to allow a parliamentary bill proposing that Mallorca’s capital city change its name from Palma de Mallorca to Palma. Government spokesperson Marc Pons explained the Balearic Parliament had accepted the processing of the bill presented by Palma city hall and agreed to pass it through urgently. The idea has proven highly controversial among residents with passionate arguments from both sides of the fence.
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