Dispute over abolition of imputed rental value for second homes unresolved
Published: Thursday, Dec 14th 2023, 11:20
Updated At: Thursday, Dec 14th 2023, 11:21
العودة إلى البث المباشر
The Council of States still does not want to abolish the imputed rental value for second homes. It insisted on this stance on Thursday, thereby opposing the National Council. The bill will return to the upper chamber.
Pirmin Bischof (center/SO) stated on behalf of the Economic Committee of the Council of States (WAK-S) that a complete change of system would be consistent. "However, this would result in high financial losses for the tourism cantons."
The small chamber therefore only wants to abolish the imputed rental value for primary residences. Second homes would therefore continue to be taxed at the imputed rental value. The decision was made by 36 votes to 8.
In the small chamber, only individual members of the left and center voted for a complete system change. In the National Council, support was much greater: only the FDP parliamentary group was against it.
"Of course, a complete abolition would be easier, but in the end we have to weigh up the interests and get everyone on board," said Hannes Germann (SVP/SH). It was still unclear how the cantons would position themselves in a possible referendum. Without their support, the bill would be at great risk.
Fear of more bureaucracy
The minority led by Carlo Sommaruga (SP/GE) argued unsuccessfully that greater emphasis should be placed on administrative efficiency and a consistent system change should be implemented. This was the only way to reduce the administrative burden on the tax authorities and prevent duplication. "If we want to get the bill through, it is difficult to explain why we are creating two different systems," said Erich Ettlin (center/OW).
According to the minority, the medium-term goal is to create a constitutional basis for a property tax on second homes. This should give the cantons concerned the opportunity to compensate for the tax losses expected as a result of a complete system change in the taxation of imputed rental value.
The responsible National Council committee is working on a corresponding bill. However, it is likely to be several years before it is implemented.
Differences in debt interest deduction
There is also a difference of opinion on a second key point of the reform. The Council of States is less restrictive than the National Council when it comes to the deduction of debt interest. In future, deductions of up to seventy percent of taxable investment income will be permitted.
The National Council wants to set this threshold at forty percent. A minority of the WAK-S wanted to stop allowing interest deductions at all in order to reduce the high level of private debt. However, this proposal failed. Today, interest on debt is allowed to the extent of taxable investment income and a further CHF 50,000.
The bill goes back to the National Council. The abolition of taxation on the imputed rental value of residential property is a long-running and controversial issue. Proposals to do so have already failed twice at the ballot box and several times in parliament.
©كيستون/إسدا
Arabic 
English 
German 
French 
Spanish