There have been many pieces of cake for the residents of Aukra in recent years. Every time Norway’s richest municipality has opened a new kindergarten, school or water park, it has been tradition to serve marzipan cake. RIK MUNICIPALITY: There have been many cakes in Aukra in recent years. The municipality is considered to be the richest in the country due to the income from the property tax. Photo: Ann Eli Nøsen / news It is the property tax that has made the municipality so rich. Now the Møre og Romsdal district court has determined that the municipality has been fully entitled to collect property tax in large quantities. The verdict means that the municipality has to pay back around NOK 300 million for the years 2018–2022. “The court has come to the conclusion that none of Gassco’s claims can be substantiated and that there is no basis for setting aside the appeal board’s decision as invalid,” the judgment states. – Very happy! It is a day of joy in Aukra, exults mayor Helge Kjøll (KrF). Mayor Helge Kjøll in Aukra (KrF). Photo: Roar Jonny Strøm / news Pays NOK 250 million in property tax every year It is the owner of the huge gas loading facility at Nyhamna that has made Aukra so incredibly rich. No other municipality has greater income from property tax per inhabitant. Each year, Gassco supplies the municipal coffers with NOK 250 million. The company claims the municipality has taken in far more than they should. In court, the claims are refuted point by point. Aukra municipality is completely acquitted. In addition, Gassco must pay NOK 4.5 million in court costs for taking the case to court. BIG VALUES: Each day, around NOK 100 million worth of gas is produced at Nyhamna. The gas comes from the Ormen Lange and Aasta Hansteen fields in the Norwegian Sea. Gassco’s lawyer claims that the municipality has missed over a billion kroner when they set the assessment basis for the property tax, but this is therefore refuted. – Disagreement applies to both the methodical procedure and part of the calculations that formed the basis of the rate, writes lawyer Finn Backer-Grøndahl in the final submission. For the time being, news has not been able to get a comment on the verdict. Finn Backer-Grøndahl is a lawyer for Gassco. He has not yet commented on the verdict. Photo: Øyvind Sandnes / news More lawsuits await There are few taxes that have seen more anger than the property tax. And it’s not just private people who argue with the municipality about the maligned property tax. There are eight oil and gas facilities along the Norwegian coast and several of them have gone all the way to court to determine how much they have to pay to the host municipalities. The plant at Nyhamna was put into operation in 2007. Here, up to NOK 650 million worth of gas is produced every single day. Photo: Øyvind Sandnes / news Two-week appeal deadline The mayor of Aukra, Helge Kjøll, says he is not surprised by the outcome, but still very relieved. The island municipality has planned a mainland connection for a long time, and Kjøll says this would have been in jeopardy if they had lost. On Monday morning, Møre og Romsdal District Court ruled that Aukra has not claimed too much property tax. – When this becomes known, people, both politically, administratively and people in the municipality, will feel a great relief, he says. The judgment is not legally binding. The appeal deadline expires in two weeks.
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Norway’s richest municipality acquitted against Gassco
