Homeowners living in Dublin city will find out later how much local property tax they will be paying next year.
Councillors will vote on the charge at a meeting this evening.
The local authority says it's facing a 39 million euro hole in it's budget following a drop in revenue and extra costs because of the pandemic.
It's asking Councillors to increase the tax by 15 per cent to help with the shortfall.
You can calculate your Local Property Tax Bill hereCllr. Micheal Pidgeon: Reducing LPT Is A Tax Cut For The Rich
The Green Party's Micheal Pidgeon says reducing it by the allowed maximum of 15% "gives thousands of thousands to people living in houses worth one or two million quid."
He says that also forces the City Council to reduce services to the tune of €12m, increase business rates or the Authority could even end up looking at upping social housing rents.
"I just think that's totally the wrong way to approach it," he says.
"Looking at the way the Local Property Tax is structured, the cut we could be giving would mean thousands and thousands to people who are the best off, living in houses worth one or two million euro."
Cllr. Pidgeon says the majority of homeowners will save somewhere between €15 and €50 if it's reduced again, but those with more valuable homes will save thousands.
He adds, "it's worth nothing to anyone who's renting, nothing to anyone in a Council house and very very little to the majority of homeowners in Dublin."
"I think it's a tax cut for the rich."
Cllr. Dermot Lacey: Services Must Be Paid For, Some Increase Needed
Labour's Dermot Lacey says the State will take the majority of the tax take, whatever the Council decide tonight.
However he says there's no way the Council can keep providing services without any kind of funding.
"We face this crisis every year, and we're going to continue facing it until the issue of local government financing is dealt with.
"The truth is: A huge bulk of the LPT is effectively hijacked by central government away from it."
"However we do need to take our responsibility seriously, so Labour will look at the proposals made by the manager."
"I don't think we'll go as far as he's proposing, we also don't believe you can continue to decrease the income to the City Council as some other parties are saying, while continuing to provide services.
"So there will be a positive motion from Labour this evening, outlining some increase and how we think that money should be spent."
Councillors from @DubCityCouncil will vote on Local Property Tax later on.
I have spoken to three councillors and received statements from two more:
Labour and the Greens are not in favour of a reduction.
Sinn Féin and Independents want it reduced by the full 15%.— Tom Douglas (@TomDouglas95) September 21, 2020
Cllr Niall Ring: Whatever We Decide, The State Takes Most Of The Funds
Former Lord Mayor Niall Ring says he'll be voting for a full reduction because the government will take the majority of the funds either way.
"Dublin City Council collects €80m in Local Property Tax, and we end up with €4m for local services."
"That's because the government takes so much in equalisation funds, they then reduce other grants."
"I have no reason to believe that the government won't continue to take what they want out of any money we collect and leave the Council with four, or five, or six million for our local services."
Cllr Daithí Doolan: Sinn Féin Want A Full Reduction
Cllr Daithí Doolan has echoed some colleagues in calling for a review into the model of local authority funding.
"We will not support imposing this unjust tax on people's homes."
It was wrong last year, it is wrong this year and remains unjust untill it is dumped in the rubbish bin of history."
That's exactly where we intend to put it."
"Dublin should not be forced to subsidise central government with a home tax while real wealth remains untaxed."
"The current financial crisis facing Dublin City Council can only be addressed with a sustainable funding model for local government."
