Only around 2,403 people live in Sande municipality. To speed up the municipal economy, the mayor wants more people to move here, but there are more who leave than come. – In good Sunnmoor spirit, we need residents, says mayor Olav Myklebust (Sp). In the hope of reversing the trend, the municipal council decided on Tuesday to reduce the wealth tax from seven to five per thousand from next year. From 2024, the wealth tax will be reduced to two per thousand. – Part of the reason is that we want to get more people to the municipality. Also people with capital who want to invest in our municipality. – If we get more income for the municipality, we can provide better services to our residents, says Olav Myklebust. Photo: Øyvind Berge Sæbjørnsen / news Wants to imitate Bø The municipal management has been in contact with Bø municipality in Vesterålen, which was the first municipality to reduce property tax. The municipality is referred to as the “tax paradise Bø in Vesterålen”. The model was a success there. After business figures such as Bjørn Dæhlie, Einar A. Sissener and Kristian Adolfsen moved to the municipality, the tax dollars have trickled into the municipal coffers. “Off the beaten track – fortunately!”. The municipality of Sande is located in the sea gap in the very south of Møre and Romsdal. In 2015, the municipality ran away with the winner in Nitimen’s award for the best municipal slogan: “Off the beaten track – luckily!”. There are no roundabouts, traffic lights or shopping centers in the municipality. In Sande, there is a lot of beautiful nature, but little that resembles luxury living. – Kick in the loose air At the grocery store on Kvamsøya, the tax reduction was the main topic of conversation. Ove Rønnestad believes the measure is a kick in the air. – I can’t imagine that people who have a lot of money will want to move here, but I hope that someone jumps in. – I’m approaching 80 and I’m no longer an optimist, says Ove Rønnestad Photo: Øyvind Berge Sæbjørnsen / news – It’s a bit exciting. It’s possible I’ll have to bring in cigars, chuckles Nina Liset, who runs the shop. Right-wing politician Anne-Marte Skarmyr Beitveit believes, not surprisingly, that this is a good measure. – We have residential plots, commercial space and are on the supply side. It is not about attracting the billionaires, but those who want to contribute here. Olav Myklebust, Nina Liset and Anne-Marte Skarmyr Beitveit have a chat at the shop. Photo: Øyvind Berge Sæbjørnsen / news Can sting In July, the municipal council celebrated that six years on the Robek list were over and that they could once again make full and complete decisions about their own finances. There is a certain risk associated with the tax stunt. If more residents don’t come, it can sting. Last year, the red-green government announced that it would no longer compensate the municipalities for the loss resulting from reduced property tax. This meant that Bø had to cover a loss of around NOK 5 million himself. – We hope that the Government sees what we want to achieve with this. I think a cut in the property tax is good district policy, says the mayor, who is from the same party as the finance minister who has proposed to increase the property tax in the national budget. Notice of the case In an e-mail to news, State Secretary Ole Gustav Narud writes that the Ministry of Local Government and Districts has noted what Sande has done. In August, the ministry received a report from the revenue system committee which, among other things, recommended that it should not be possible for municipalities to decide themselves to lower property tax below the maximum rate. – The report is now under consultation and the government will take a closer look at follow-up after that, writes Narud. – Paradise, but not a tax haven. Sande municipality is not planning any marketing campaign to get people to move there. – We hope that the rumor that we have a paradise out here spreads well, and that people take the chance, says Myklebust. The mayor is not entirely satisfied that many will call Sande a tax haven. – We are a paradise, but we are not meant to be a tax haven, says the mayor and emphasizes that they will continue to take good care of those who do not have much to worry about. Voksa has a ferry connection with Kvamsøya, Åram and Larsnes. Photo: Øyvind Berge Sæbjørnsen / news
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