Benidorm prolongs economic measures to ease the tax burden during the coronavirus crisis

Benidorm City Council has prolonged the economic measures adopted at the start of the state of alarm aimed at alleviating the tax burden on citizens, the self-employed and companies while the coronavirus health crisis lasts. The mayor, Toni Pérez, explained that these measures "affect the payment of deferrals and installments granted by the City Council, as well as the opening licenses and settlements made by the local Administration". "We have decided to extend these terms again before the successive extensions of the state of alarm approved, which maintain the situation of confinement and the cessation of much of economic activity," he said.

"In general," he said, "we delay the payment of installments and deferrals already granted so that individuals do not receive charges during the month of April and May; and we extended the term to face municipal tax settlements, both those that were drawn before the state of alarm and those that are issued while it is in force. ” Furthermore, “we allow the payment of the opening license fee of up to 1,500 euros to be postponed and split until June 30; and the liquidations are suspended for the tables and chairs of the terraces until the reopening of the establishments is allowed ”.

Specifically, according to the decree, "the payment of the maturity corresponding to the month of April of the postponements and installments that are granted is delayed for one more month." The remaining maturities are also delayed two months without generating interest.

Regarding the settlements issued by the City Council, for example for urban planning licenses, if they were notified before the state of alarm and the voluntary payment period did not end before March 18, they can be paid until May 30. If they have been notified after March 18, the deadline to pay them will also be May 30, unless the payment period set in the letter is even longer.

Likewise, and given the exceptional nature of the current situation, the City Council will continue to allow the payment of “opening licenses of up to 1,500 euros” to be requested during the months of April, May and June. In this way, they can be paid until "June 30". In addition, no settlements will be issued for occupation of the public highway with tables and chairs corresponding to the year 2020 until the reopening of the hospitality establishments to the public.

Finally, until June, no liquidation of municipal concessions will be issued that have been affected by the suspension of activities or the closure of municipal offices. This is the case, for example, of the cafeterias of social centers and other municipal offices, as well as those of the paddle and tennis courts of the Palau d'Esports l’Illa.

In addition, and as indicated last week, the deadline for paying the receipts for the Tax on Mechanical Traction Vehicles (IVTM) and the garbage rate that have already begun to be paid by SUMA has also been extended. In this way, both receipts can be paid in a voluntary period until June 15.