Juan Ignacio López-Bas Valero, a practicing lawyer and former councillor of Orihuela as well as a former Ciudadanos Member of Parliament, has sparked a public debate through an opinion article that was published in Diario de la Vega.
In it, he urges Orihuela residents to formally challenge the recent, sharply increased urban waste collection tax (RSU), describing the situation as unjust and legally questionable.
The tax, managed by SUMA, has risen dramatically – by between 250% and 340%, depending on the area – prompting concern and discontent among the local population.
López Bas argues that the municipal government is failing to comply with Spanish law. Since Orihuela is legally classified as a “municipality of large population” it is required by law to establish a specialised administrative body to handle economic-administrative appeals, particularly for reviewing tax settlements issued by the town council. However, Orihuela has not created this mandated body, depriving citizens of a lawful administrative channel to contest tax decisions before resorting to the courts.
Due to this deficiency, López Bas claims that tax assessments made without providing this administrative recourse are legally invalid.
He supports his position by citing court rulings from cities like Alicante, Madrid, and Santander, where judges have annulled similar tax settlements on the basis that the absence of such municipal bodies violates taxpayers’ constitutional right to effective judicial protection.
Encouraging civic action, López Bas states that every taxpayer has the right – and even the duty – to challenge administrative actions when authorities knowingly disregard legal procedures.
He advises residents to file an economic-administrative claim within one month of receiving any municipal tax bill, whether for RSU, property tax (IBI), vehicle tax, or capital gains (plusvalía).
Should the town hall reject or ignore these claims, he encourages escalation to court, where he believes existing precedents will support the public stance.
His call to action has already resonated across the region. Coastal and rural community representatives have expressed interest in pursuing similar claims.
The group Unidos x la Costa is actively preparing documentation to help their members submit appeals. Other local political groups, such as Unidos Mejoramos and PIOC, are monitoring the legal landscape to determine their next steps.
In essence, López Bas is mobilising a grassroots legal resistance against what he sees as an unlawful and excessive tax policy by the Orihuela municipal government.
