The introduction of a tourist tax, or perhaps an increase in property tax. “Those are possibilities. There are dozens of possibilities. It’s about what is most effective,” says alderman Klaas de Vries of finances of the municipality of Meppel.
The municipality has come up with an action plan to improve Meppel’s financial situation. The situation has been bad for several years now. In a ranking of municipalities between 25,000 and 50,000 inhabitants, Meppel ranks 134th out of 141 in terms of finances.
However, GroenLinks lacks attention for the municipality’s income in that plan. Klaas de Vries does not rule out that these will change. The municipality is currently conducting an investigation into this. Municipalities receive income from, for example, taxes.
One of the ideas in the plan is to save more money. “Every year we simply spend 3 million euros on interest costs. We cannot invest that money in any other way. That is just a shame,” says De Vries. “If we don’t change the income, the question is whether we can save,” notes Anouk de Vlieg on behalf of GroenLinks.
It has been agreed in the coalition agreement that the property tax will only be increased if ‘no other option can really be found’. The municipality will soon present the financial starting points for the next four years. To which she does, and does not, want to give money. De Vries: “If you can’t get there, you have to do something about the income.”