The Irun City Council proposes freezing municipal taxes, fees, and public prices in 2027 and expanding Property Tax (IBI) bonuses to new groups. The proposal from the Treasury Department aims to adapt the fiscal ordinance to the new regional regulations so that, in addition to large families, single-parent families, individuals heading a household who have suffered domestic or gender violence, and those in vulnerable situations can also benefit from these aids.
The deputy mayor and head of Treasury, Nuria Alzaga, explained that the decision to propose the freeze is based on responsible management of public resources and the evolution of municipal revenues: "Managing responsibly means taking care of public resources, ensuring we can continue to meet Irun's needs, and also knowing when it is not necessary to ask for an additional economic effort from citizens. Revenue collection is higher than anticipated, and we have projections for new income in 2027. Therefore, after analyzing the municipal economic situation, we believe it is responsible to propose freezing taxes and fees."
Factors considered include the positive trend in revenue collection and the new income expected for the next fiscal year, such as those derived from the tourist stay tax.
Alongside this freeze, the Treasury Department proposes advancing the application of economic capacity criteria to the IBI, expanding bonuses to new groups and adjusting aid percentages based on income and family circumstances.
"We are talking about taxes, yes, but above all we are talking about the people who live in Irun. Each family has its own reality, its income, its responsibilities, and its personal circumstances. And I believe it is our obligation to take them into account. Because behind every bill there are people, and what truly matters to us is their well-being," stated Alzaga.
The Irun City Council has been moving for years towards a fiscal model that considers citizens' economic capacity, applying this criterion to certain municipal fees and public prices. The new regional regulations allow for further steps in this direction for the IBI as well, although it is not yet possible to apply this criterion universally to all families. In this regard, Alzaga emphasized the commitment to "continue advancing to achieve a taxation system that takes into account the economic capacity of all families. Because figures are important, but behind them are people. And our priority must always be their well-being."
The new Regional Law 17/2026 allows for the expansion of IBI bonuses to more groups. Previously, the regulations provided for these aids for large families. With the change, single-parent families, individuals heading a household who have suffered domestic or gender violence, and people in vulnerable situations will also be eligible.
To implement this expansion, the City Council proposes adapting its fiscal ordinance to the new regulation.
The proposal establishes different bonus percentages based on income for these groups. To determine the economic brackets, the standardized family income system regulated by the Basque Government, which considers the characteristics of each household, has been used as a reference.
The projected thresholds will be broader than those applied in the economic capacity payment system for certain municipal fees and public prices, taking into account the characteristics of the households targeted by the measure.
Furthermore, individuals in vulnerable situations with appropriate accreditation from social services will be eligible for a bonus of up to 90% of the full IBI quota for their primary residence.
The bonus will apply to the primary residence whose cadastral value does not exceed 300,000 euros. The garage, storage room, or other equivalent annexes will not be considered when calculating this limit.
Individuals who already have an approved bonus will retain their current conditions until the period for which it was granted ends. The new regulation will apply to new applications and renewals.
The proposal to modify the fiscal ordinance is part of the process of updating municipal regulations for 2027.
