Unexpected bounty

THIRTY-SEVEN municipalities in Alicante province started 2017 with a €4.7 million windfall from Spain’s taxman, Hacienda.

The Treasury headed miscalculated the amounts that had to be returned after the European Court of Justice and Spain’s Supreme court ruled in 2014 that the “Health Cent” charged on fuel was illegal.

Hacienda made initial repayments last summer and recently published another list following complaints from town halls.

“Anyone can make a mistake,” said Ruben Alfara who is president of the Valencian Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FVMP) and also mayor of Elda.  “But Hacienda’s policies mean that town halls always lose out,” he continued.

Hacienda’s biggest handout goes to Calpe which will receive €719,207 followed by Javea with €634,909 and Rojales with €521,746.  At the bottom of the list Parcent and Almudaina can look forward to just €1,114 and €1,039 respectively.