A Ramsey Commissioner says he is “disappointed but not surprised ” by the outcome of a Tynwald debate on rates reforms.
Juan McGuinness said that Wednesday’s (July 16) Tynwald “had another chance to drag our 1969-vintage rating system into 2025”.
Mr McGuinness said he was “struck by how many Members seemed happy to leave the hard work to the next parliament”.
Rates Reform
He added: “Some speeches even suggested that simply “updating” rateable values would somehow level spending between authorities, I was mildly shocked that these MHK’s had such a limited grasp of how rates actually work.
“Dr Allinson then filed an amendment: scrap Treasury’s deadline and set up yet another five-member Select Committee to ponder rates valuation and the whole future of local government reform, reporting by 31 March 2026.
“Turning down progress in favour of another committee. Tynwald voted in favour of the amendment.”
Not Surprised
Mr Guinness said: “So after a decade (and more) of talk, we get nothing more then talk and hope for more talk next year. Tying rates reform to wholesale local-authority reform practically guarantees delay. We can modernise the tax base without redrawing the Island’s municipal map.
“We still tax 2025 services on 1969 rental values. Only 38 % of people in 2015 even understood the old method, and I doubt that figure has risen. “Luxury” town flats still carry disproportionally higher valuations than many newer homes in the countryside, so that when it comes to island wide Manx Utilities rates that gap punishes Ramsey residents.”
He concluded by saying: “I’m disappointed but not surprised. Transparency and fairness in how we pay for our local services still matter—and I’m not done fighting. Remember who chose inaction when change was on the table.”
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