Even after the oil crisis, the average citizen of Stavanger pays 30% more taxes than the average Norwegian citizen on the whole.
Only the citizens of rich and powerful municipalities, and Asker and Bærum, who pay more in tax than those in Stavanger, according to NRK news.
The financial situation of Stavanger is still serious, according to Christian Wedler of the Fremskrittspartiet (FRP), who chairs the Finance Committee.
In Stavanger municipality alone, over 250 million in unrestricted revenue has disappeared since 2014. In Rogaland, the figure is 500 million.
Costs in Stavanger are about 2.8%, while income is less than one percent. Thus, the municipality has plunged into the red.
Because tax revenues are still higher than the national average, Stavanger must pay nearly 800 million to equalize with municipalities with tax revenues that are below average.
‘It is difficult to explain to citizens. They expect a certain level of service when they pay this much to us’, said Wedler.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
