Galway Bay fm newsroom - Galway County Councillors today decided by a one vote majority to maintain the Local Property Tax at its present rate in the county despite a strong request from management for an increase.
CEO Jim Cullen told the meeting the council was seriously hampered for the want of money and he sought a 15% increase in the property tax to stabilise the situation.
CEO Jim Cullen stated it looks like spending will exceed income to the tune of €4.6 million next year.
An increase of 15% in the property tax was the only realistic short-term option to stem the tide, he warned.
The CEO stated that the increase would enable the maintenance of services and give the council a stronger hand in looking for more money from the Government in Dublin.
Galway has lagged behind similar sized counties for years in the amount of money it gets from central government - €740 per person in Galway as against €1,257 per person in Mayo.
Councillors such as James Charity, Joe Sheridan and Dáithí Ó Cualáin said they were not persuaded that there would be extra money from government funds even if the property tax was increased.
Councillor Albert Dolan turned the tables around and proposed a 15% reduction in the tax but that was heavily defeated.
Councillor Joe Beirne and Thomas Welby put a motion to the floor supporting a 15% increase and this was defeated by one vote.
The net result is no change in the property tax in county Galway this year.
