Official statement regarding the amendment to the regulation on trade and property tax in unincorporated areas
The BWO (Association of Independent Business Owners) adopted an official statement at its general meeting regarding the planned amendment to the ordinance on the collection of trade and property taxes in unincorporated areas. This position was submitted as a joint statement of the BWO to the relevant department of the Lower Saxony state government.
Background and key content of the statement
Criticism of the planned regulation: The BWO rejects the blanket allocation of the right to levy trade tax exclusively to the city of Wilhelmshaven as inappropriate.
Equivalence principle: The trade tax revenues should benefit the municipalities that are actually burdened by offshore wind energy – especially where operating and maintenance bases are located.
BWO's demand: The lifting authorization should be flexibly granted to the municipality(ies) where the relevant support centers for offshore wind farms are located. If a support center is located outside of Lower Saxony, the nearest Lower Saxon municipality should receive the lifting authorization.
objective: The BWO advocates for a fair and sustainable distribution of burdens that takes into account the actual circumstances as well as the principle of equivalence.
With this statement, the BWO aims to create a fair and sustainable solution for the distribution of trade tax revenues and to strengthen the interests of the affected municipalities.