While Oslo‘s private kindergartens have to pay property tax, the municipal run kindergartens are exempt. Unfair, says the Conservatives. That’s the law, responds the municipality.
After the election victory half a year ago, the coalition board of the city introduced a property tax. The public kindergartens are exempt because the law provides exceptions for publicly owned buildings.
Former Education Commissioner Kristin Vinje (Conservatives) thinks that this is unfair, Dagbladet writes.
– I find it very strange. It should be the objective, not ownership, which should decide whether to pay property tax or not. This adds to the areas where the Oslo City Council is trying to prevent private to succeed in welfare services, she said.
Eli Sævareid, who is CEO of ‘Safe Kindergartens’ (Trygge Barnehager) as well as Chairman of the Board for FUS-kindergartens in Oslo, also reacts to the difference in treatment.
– It is unfair that we are given a tax that public kindergartens escapes, she says and believes it is a violation of the regulations on equal treatment.
Finance Commissioner Robert Steen (Labour) said the municipality did not have a choice and has to deal with what is written in the law.
– We can not simply exempt commercial enterprises from property taxes, he says, but adds that day-care centres can apply for exemption.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
