The municipal housing costs, sewerage and waste taxes, and property taxes are rising “very substantially” this year, according to the annual study by the research center for the economy of the lower governments COELO, NU.nl reports.
The national government is increasing waste tax by 139 percent this year. Waste processors pay waste tax for the garbage that is incinerated or landfilled, and this cost is passed on the municipalities. As a result, municipalities have 3.5 to 4 percent more costs this year.
Expenses are rising most strongly for tenants in Haarlem, by 18 percent or 59 euros, and decreasing most for tenants in Assen, by 4.4 percent or 17 euros. The municipal housing costs for homeowners with a multi-person household is increasing by an average of 4.3 percent or 29 euros to 702 euros per year. Expenses are lowest for homeowners in The Hauge at 563 euros per year, and highest in Enschede at 856 euros.
According to COELO researcher Corine Hoeben, it is to be expected that municipal taxes will increase each year due to inflation. But the increase in waste tax is striking. This can be attributed to municipalities working on sustainability.
It takes time to arrange recycling measures that will reduce the amount of waste and to make sure these measures succeed. “Municipalities must get households to separate more waste so that more is recycled and less burned”, she said. “That takes time and in the meantime municipalities have to cover the extra costs. They do so by increasing the waste tax, among other things.”
