It is entirely understandable that residents are concerned about reports that tax revenues in Veldhoven have risen by 39 percent over four years. As Hart voor Veldhoven, we believe it is essential to respond in plain language and tell the honest story behind these figures.
The increase in total revenue is not a political choice to simply raise rates for our residents. The increase has three main causes: rising property values (WOZ), the annual inflation adjustment, and the costs of levies.
1. Our political choices: Controlling and reducing the tax burden
When it comes to taxes over which the municipal council has direct influence, Hart voor Veldhoven has worked hard to protect the people of Veldhoven:
OZB (residential properties)
It is a misconception that the municipality "profits" from rising house prices. When the value of homes in Veldhoven rises by an average of 10.20%, we actually lower the OZB rate percentage to neutralise this effect. The municipality therefore does not earn extra from this; the increase in total revenue is purely due to the annual inflation indexation (2.60% this year) and the many new homes that have been built in Veldhoven.
In 2021, the previous municipal council decided to budget an increase of 5% per year through to 2024. After the previous elections, we deliberately reversed this increase in 2023.Dog tax
We have kept our word here. Where an owner paid just over €83 in 2022, this has been significantly reduced to €51.50 for 2026.Tourist tax
The additional burden here falls on hotel guests, not on local residents. For campsites, we have deliberately kept the rate low at €1.60.Parking charges
Despite the costly renovation of the town centre, we are maintaining the rate of €1.30 per hour and the guarantee that the first two hours of parking remain free, in order to support businesses and visitors.
2. The levies: Paying for actual costs
The increase you see on your assessment is almost entirely due to levies. These are closed systems: by law, the municipality is not permitted to make a profit from them; every euro collected goes 100% towards the execution of that specific task.
Waste collection levy
After 10 years, a new contract has been concluded through purchasing organisation Bizob via a public tender. The market has changed enormously over those 10 years, making collection and processing significantly more expensive. For an average household, this means an increase to €472.30 in 2026.Sewerage levy
To keep Veldhoven dry in the future amid increasingly frequent extreme rainfall and flooding, significant investment in and maintenance of the sewerage system is necessary.
3. We take our responsibility seriously
A deliberate political choice has been made to absorb 50% of these necessary price increases through the municipality's general reserves, so as to soften the blow for residents.
Despite the increases, independent studies (such as those by BDO and COELO) show that local charges in Veldhoven remain relatively low compared to other municipalities. But we continue to critically examine our own expenditure. For instance, we want to significantly reduce the hiring of external consultancies and keep expertise in-house, so that more money is available for what truly matters.
We hope this has made things a little clearer, and we are always open to questions! No one benefits from high taxes...