2,000 residents protest Velez-Malaga rubbish tax over disputed bills

Around 2,000 residents, shopkeepers and self-employed workers took to the streets of Velez-Malaga on October 7 to demand a review of the new rubbish collection tax, with claims that some people have been charged several times for the same waste.

Plaza de las Carmelitas, outside the town hall, filled with protesters from across the town and surrounding areas, including Torre del Mar, Benajarafe, Chilches and Almayate. Chants called for lower taxes and better cleaning services as frustration grew over bills arriving at homes and businesses. Organisers estimated that around 2,000 people attended, while police sources put the figure at approximately 1,000, according to local reports.

Self-employed workers face multiple rubbish bills

One of the main complaints concerns self-employed workers who have received separate bills for different professional activities, even when they do not operate from separate business premises.

Scilla Tamburini, spokesperson for the local citizens’ platform opposing the charge, said she had received a bill for €112 for her work as a dietitian and another for €225 as a Pilates instructor. She does not have her own premises for either activity and teaches at a centre that already pays the charge.

Other residents have raised concerns about duplicate bills and incorrect calculations of business floor space. Campaigners say some people have been charged three or four times for waste they generate from a single property.

Residents question services in outlying villages

Residents from outlying areas also complained that they pay the same taxes as people in Velez-Máaaga and Torre del Mar despite having fewer local services.

One resident from Benajarafe pointed to a lack of pavements, green spaces, adequate street lighting and reliable public transport. She also questioned why people working from home on a computer should face a business waste charge when their work generates little or no commercial rubbish.

Council faces calls to review bills

Velez-Malaga council has acknowledged reports of possible billing errors and launched a review of rubbish-tax bills affecting self-employed workers and businesses. Spain’s Waste Law 7/2022 requires local authorities to introduce charges linked to the cost of waste management. Protesters say they are not against paying for rubbish collection, but want the bills calculated fairly. Residents are also calling for a reduction in the local property tax, known as IBI, to offset the additional cost.