Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., June 30, 2009 Tamuz 8, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:24 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
Drought tax is back on the table
By Avi Bar-Eli
Tags: israel news, drought 

A compromise has been reached that will allow the state to charge a so-called "drought tax" after all. The Knesset Finance Committee and representatives of the Finance Ministry and Water Board will be meeting today to iron out the remaining details, so the "tax" - which is really just a much higher charge for families that use a lot of water - can be collected from July 1.

The latest proposal, to be discussed today, is to increase the quota of cheap water per household.

At the end of last week the Knesset Finance Committee, headed by Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism, supported the concept of the drought tax, just not the collection mechanism. Mainly, they were worried about the impact on large families.
Advertisement
Another part of the compromise involves changes in the collection mechanism by the local authorities, to assure efficiency and alleviate concerns among municipal water corporations (not all cities have such, but when they do, they collect water bills).

So: from July 1 until the end of 2010, the state will charge NIS 20 extra for each cubic meter of water a household uses beyond its monthly quota of 15 cubic meters (that applies to a 4-person family).

At present, households pay NIS 7.80 per cubic meter beyond the first 15 cubic meters they consume each month. That price will jump to NIS 28.

Originally the proposal suggested an extra monthly allocation of three cubic meters per person in the household beyond the core four. But the Haredi Knesset members said they would torpedo the proposal over that alone; each person needs 5 cubic meters of water a month, they said. The compromise would increase that extra allocation to somewhere between 4 to 5 cubic meters a month per extra person.
PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Madoff goes to jail
U.S. court sentences disgraced financer to 150 years for multi-billion dollar investment fraud.
Outpost watch, redux
Peace delayers are holding the Mideastl hostage and taking a slap at Obama.
Special Offers
Advertisement
hotel Jerusalem
David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
More Headlines
23:28 U.S. won't rule out compromise on settlement growth
21:58 Madoff gets 150 years in jail for investment fraud
19:13 IN PICTURES / The victims of Bernard Madoff's fraud scam
22:48 Sarkozy urges Netanyahu: Get rid of Lieberman
20:17 Iran confirms Ahmadinejad victory after official recount
22:51 Slapping Obama, or Please God, keep Israel from making peace
19:47 Israeli Arabs flood Palestinian cities to boost ailing economy
20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
18:59 Iran recalls Azerbaijan envoy for talks following Peres visit
22:25 Palestinian reconciliation talks begin amid mutual accusations
16:24 Poll: Hamas popularity falls in both West Bank and Gaza
21:03 Prague summit urges return of Nazi-looted property
13:43 Red Cross: Israel trapping 1.5m Gazans in despair
13:16 Israel to build 50 West Bank homes for outpost evacuees
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
| Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
| Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved