The High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV) has struck down the waste collection ordinance in Callosa de Segura. The ruling follows a legal challenge by the People’s Party (PP) against a steep price hike—enacted by the PSOE-IU-UCIN coalition—which saw annual fees jump from 60 euros to as high as 178 euros.
The court’s decision highlights several critical failures in the ordinance’s technical and economic foundations:
- Lack of Justification: Technical reports failed to explain the criteria used to calculate the fee.
- Disregard for “Polluter Pays”: The tax did not account for the volume of waste generated or the specific circumstances of taxpayers.
- Inadequate Differentiation: Of the town’s 13,169 homes, over 12,000 were charged a uniform rate, ignoring variables like square footage, water consumption, or the number of residents.
A Province-Wide Precedent
The ruling has sent shockwaves through the Alicante province because Callosa’s tax structure follows a model designed by SUMA, the provincial tax body. This same framework is utilized by many other municipalities.
In Orihuela, for instance, similar complaints have been raised regarding a flat-rate fee that ignores socioeconomic realities.
While the Callosa City Council plans to appeal, they have also played down the immediate impact, noting that the specific ordinance in question has already been replaced by a 2026 version. However, the PP maintains that the ruling exposes a “total lack of rigor and legality,” warning that current and future taxes must now be strictly restructured to align with the “polluter pays” principle.
Political Fallout and Transparency Concerns
In the wake of the ruling, the PSOE has turned its focus toward transparency, demanding that the governing bodies clarify how residents can apply for tax reductions. They argue that the current system remains “unfair and inequitable,” particularly for large families, and criticize the government for failing to improve waste services despite the increased financial burden on citizens.
