Jura Government Approves Secondary Residence Property Tax

The Grand Council in Jura has approved a proposal to implement a property tax on secondary residences. This move follows the abandonment of the rental value tax. The Jura state treasury is estimated to lose 5 million francs per year from this change, while municipalities face a 4 million franc loss. The government will now study specific options for the new tax implementation. The government is now considering how to prevent tax evasion. Municipalities face an estimated loss of 4 million francs annually. Former liberal deputy Alain Beret, the author of the text, stated the vote signifies increased awareness of the issue. The impact of the tax on the canton and municipalities remains to be analyzed to ensure implementation is not more costly than profitable. The measure follows similar discussions in Ticino and near Swiss lakes. If two-thirds of these residences paid 50 francs per month, it would generate 2.5 million francs in tax revenue for the Jura state. Other Swiss cantons, including Bern, Geneva, and Valais, are also examining the possibility of implementing canton-to-commune real estate taxes on secondary residences.