Larcher says it is "not fair" that tenants do not pay local taxes

"A large proportion of our fellow citizens, those who are not homeowners, no longer contribute to the financing of the services they receive," the right-wing leader assured on RMC-BFMTV, when questioned about the proposal for a "modest contribution" to finance municipal public services put forward by François Rebsamen, Minister of Regional Planning.

"There are municipalities in my department where there are more than 60% tenants, or even 70%, and today, local taxation is only based on owners; that's not fair," he said.

"The original sin is the abolition of the housing tax" since 2017, added the President of the Senate, recalling that it cost "22 billion to the State budget."

But, he added, "we must be extremely careful not to create a new demand for fiscal effort," so financial recovery must, according to him, come through "a comprehensive reflection" and not through a reestablishment of the housing tax.

"We need to overhaul the entire system of financing local authorities," he suggested.

The housing tax on primary residences will be completely abolished in 2023. Property tax, paid by homeowners, remains. The idea of ​​a new contribution, put forward by François Rebsamen, "does not correspond to the government's position," and "nothing has been decided" regarding the budget of local authorities, executive spokesperson Sophie Primas clarified on Monday.