The opposition party Compromís on 5 November in València launched the online portal imPPostors According to the party, 94.6 per cent of households in the city will pay more in municipal charges in 2026 than in 2023. It says this equates to 765,922 residents. Compromís cites as the main reason that the nominally advertised reduction in property tax (IBI) is more than offset by higher waste charges and rising water prices. According to the party, the greatest relief goes to wealthier neighbourhoods.
The Ayuntamiento de València, led by Mayor María José Catalá (Partido Popular) in coalition with Vox, rejects this interpretation. The city points to the measures approved Ordenanzas fiscales for 2026, which provide for a reduction in the general IBI rate, specific discounts and further relief. According to the town hall, the measures are intended to take effect from 2024 or 2025 and reduce the overall tax burden. It is not true that almost all households face a blanket increase.
Several local media outlets documented the presentation by Compromís and the city government’s responses on 5 November. Their reports note that the opposition bases its calculations on responses to parliamentary questions and publicly available administrative data. Compromís announced that it would make the underlying tables available through imPPostors. The town hall, however, says there has so far been no complete comparison with the official budgets and fee ordinances for 2023 to 2026.
At the heart of the issue is whether individual effects—such as an IBI reduction—are offset by higher recurring items such as waste charge and water price and which household groups are affected. Compromís speaks of a hidden tax increase affecting lower- and middle-income households, while wealthier neighbourhoods receive relief. The city government, by contrast, stresses that its IBI policy and targeted discounts have provided broad relief, and points to formal decisions by the city council.
A complete assessment depends on the full calculations, the boundaries of the neighbourhoods considered, and a comparison with the approved Ordenanzas fiscales and actual fee notices. Until then, the dispute remains politically charged: Compromís claims that the vast majority of residents face a net increase, while the Ayuntamiento de València maintains that it has reduced the overall tax burden.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).