The PSPV will vote in Les Corts in favor of processing the tourist tax but it opens the door to

A week after the PSPV generated doubts among the members of the Botànic, the socialist trustee in Les Corts, Ana Barceló, has confirmed, through a statement, that her parliamentary group "will support the processing of the bill on the tourist tax, which will be debated this Thursday in the next plenary session".

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
16 July 2022 Saturday 11:10
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The PSPV will vote in Les Corts in favor of processing the tourist tax but it opens the door to

A week after the PSPV generated doubts among the members of the Botànic, the socialist trustee in Les Corts, Ana Barceló, has confirmed, through a statement, that her parliamentary group "will support the processing of the bill on the tourist tax, which will be debated this Thursday in the next plenary session".

Of course, the socialist leader, who on Tuesday insisted that "this is not the time" to apply this tax to overnight stays, wanted to emphasize that her training "will continue to work hand in hand with the sector and the municipalities" since her group does not give up "improving" the agreement reached by the three parties that support the regional Executive "during its parliamentary process".

“After the vote, a new space for dialogue is opened in which we will work to reach the maximum agreement both with the sector and with the city councils, since these are the ones that have the last word”, Barceló stated. The socialist leader has insisted that it is "a municipal and voluntary fee" and that it will be the city councils "who will decide, from 2024, whether they wish to apply it in their municipality or not, depending on their respective circumstances and municipal autonomy".

For this reason, it is difficult to guess what changes the PSPV intends to make in a text that has taken years to agree on. And it is that the debate on the rate has dragged on since the first legislature and has only been possible after Compromís and Unides Podem accepted the socialist postulates to carry it forward: that it be municipal, voluntary and with a moratorium of one year from its publication.

So much so, that Barceló already advanced on Tuesday that its mayors are not in favor of applying it, so the route of the tax -beyond Valencia city- is very short.

However, and aware that the opposition will take advantage of this Thursday's debate to charge the Socialists for having "ceded" with the rate, the PSPV trustee has asked the opposition groups to "stop generating false controversies about this levy” and has invited them to “read the proposal in its entirety where it is reflected black on white that the fee will not have any cost for the municipalities of the Valencian Community”.

Meanwhile, the regional secretary of Tourism, Francesc Colomer, has described the decision of the socialist parliamentary group to support the parliamentary processing of the tourist tax as a "strategic error".

"I consider that it is a strategic error and I feel a great disappointment", has recognized the person in charge of Tourism of the Consell, who, however, has recalled that tomorrow the taking into consideration of the bill will be voted and, therefore, will begin the processing process.