City council decides on second home tax - permanent campers will also have to pay from 2023

Created: 2022-08-02 05:02

By: Wolfgang Schorner

Back in the town hall meeting room: After more than two years, a city council meeting took place there for the first time this week.

For the city council, which has been in office since May 2020, it was even the first meeting there.

The city council has met in the town hall since the beginning of the corona pandemic, which was occupied this week due to theatrical performances.

© Wolfgang Schorner

In Penzberg there will be a second home tax from next year.

The city council approved the necessary statutes with a clear majority.

Apprentices and students, for example, are not affected.

Long-term campers, on the other hand, have to pay the second home tax.

Penzberg – Ten years ago, a second home tax was discussed in Penzberg in order to open up new sources of money.

At that time it was still rejected.

City Treasurer Hans Blank initiated a new debate last spring.

In April, the city council then decided that the administration should draw up a statute.

At that time it was said that this tax could bring in around 265,000 euros a year after deducting the administrative costs.

This time, the city administration is reluctant to make forecasts about income

This week, the desired statute was presented to the city council.

There were no forecasts about the amount of income this time.

But the agreement was clear.

The city council approved the statute by two votes.

The second home tax is to apply from January 1, 2023.

The city wants to review them again in a year or two, specifically to see if this has converted second homes into primary homes.

Tax does not apply to apartments in old people's homes - there are other exceptions

Marika Markert from the city treasury had previously explained the statute.

Accordingly, apartments in old people’s homes, nursing homes or similar facilities are not considered second homes.

Holiday homes and apartments provided by public or non-profit organizations for therapeutic or educational purposes are also excluded from tax liability.

According to her, this also applies to apartments owned by married people who are not permanently separated for professional reasons in Penzberg if their main residence is outside the city.

According to Markert, students and trainees do not have to pay taxes either.

Long-term campers, on the other hand, are subject to tax, i.e. “mobile homes, mobile homes, caravans and caravans,

Long-term campers have to pay a flat rate

According to Markert, these long-term campers are charged a flat rate of 100 euros.

Otherwise, the tax is calculated from the net cold rent.

Markert recommended an annual tax rate of 20 percent as "reasonable".

In Iffeldorf and Seeshaupt it was 15 percent, in Benediktbeuern, Bichl and Murnau 20 percent each, she reported.

The city council wasn't closed to it - there was also criticism

Kerstin Engel (Greens) said that she does not welcome the second home tax because of the income, but because it may free up apartments again.

Armin Jabs (BfP) argued that it is okay for second home owners to share in the financing of the infrastructure they share through taxes.

Adrian Leinweber (SPD) suggested checking after one or two years how high the administrative burden is.

Wolfgang Sacher (BfP) also advocated this, but he added: "I'm not enthusiastic.

If we are in a bad financial situation, we would just have to save a bit.”

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In the end there was a clear majority.

Only Aleksandar Trifunovic (CSU) and Regina Bartusch (SPD) voted against.

Trifunovic criticized the tax as disproportionate.

This would punish employees who have a second home in Penzberg for family reasons.

"With 50 square meters I come to 2500 euros a year," he said.

On the other hand, he believes that in the end no more than 200 people will have to pay the tax.

It's not worth the effort for that.

Regina Bartusch rejected the statute "because we will not win back living space through it".

However, they remained in the minority.