In June, millions of Italian families paid theadvance payment of IMU, Municipal tax for owning buildings, but there are those who have paid out more and those who have saved quite a bit, just to territorial reasons. In Sicily, the IMU in the provincial capitals costs an average of 1,420 euros per year. In absolute terms, there are those who pay more, but compared to the GDP per capita, which in Sicily barely exceeds 20 thousand euros per yearis the fourth highest figure in Italy (7%). These are the data from Imu 2024 report created by the Uil union study centre. In absolute terms various cities on the island appear among the least expensive provincial capitals in the country, Messina (519 euros per year), Caltanissetta (549 euro), Anna (574,5 euro), Palermo (681 euros) e Ragusa (682 euros). At national level the IMU “ranking” in the regions is led by the Campaniawhere the tax cost 1,830 euros per year, 9% of the GDP per capita. The following Sardinia (1,985 euros, 8%) e Puglia (1,600 euros, 7%). The regions in which the tax is lower are instead Lombardy (1.785 euro, 4%), Valle d’Aosta (1,420 euros, 3%) and the Trentino Alto Adige (1.090 euro, 2%).
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Imu, how the tax calculation works
The differences depend on different situation of local authorities, which are also financed thanks to this tax. “The IMU represents one of the main real estate taxes in Italy, applied to a wide range of properties, including second homes, luxury properties, appurtenances and other real estate categories such as building land and commercial properties”, recall the Uil technicians. First homes are excluded, as long as they do not fall within the cadastral categories A1, A8 and A9, that is, they are not stately homes, villas and castles. As for the calculation methods, “the advance payment is based on the rates and on deductions established by the Municipalities for the previous year”. The unknown factor, however, concerns the balancescheduled for December 16, 2024, since it “will include any adjustments based on the new rates decided by the Municipalities and published on the website Ministry of Finance“. In short, the inhabitants of municipalities with cash flow problems could be called upon to pay more, generating “substantial differences in the tax burden“.
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Imu in Sicily, the differences between cities
Naturally, the impact is also value of real estate. A factor that helps explain the presence of many “Sicilian” women among the least expensive cities. According to Uil, in fact, “in Southern Italy and in Islands, the average costs of the IMU (for all cities, including capitals, ed.) are lower than in the North, equal to 982 euros and 829 euros per year respectively”. A difference that for the technicians “is indicative of the different value of the properties in various areas of the country”. In Nord Ovest in fact “the average annual cost of IMU is 1,027 euros per year” while in Northeast “rises to 1,060 euros” and in center “it stands at 1,144 euros”. As said theTax varies based on property type. The luxury ones pay more, but even in this case they are there strong fluctuations. In Sicily, for example, three cities are among the least expensive provincial capitals in Italy for this category. These are Caltanissetta (1,315 euros per year), Ragusa (1,083 euros per year) e Messina (1,018 euros per year). Houses of the same value, in other areas of the country, they pay much higher taxes. The most expensive cities are Grosseto (6,828 euros per year), Milano (5,966 euros per year) and Roma (5.774 euro).
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Uil: fairer taxation on real estate is needed
Values that demonstrate “remarkable disparity between different areas of the country”, reiterates Uil. A situation that should be overcome, writes the confederal secretary of the union, Vera Buonomo. “Our report highlights the urgent need for one structural reform of the land registry to ensure a fairer taxation on real estate in Italy. This reform, often announced but never implemented, is fundamental for correct imbalances current ones”. The danger, the secretary underlines, is that the patch is worse than the hole, right at the source of equity. “The reform must be crafted with care, ensuring that it does not result in an increase in the overall tax burden, but rather is aimed at a fairer redistribution of property taxes”. For this reason, any regulatory intervention should take into account “the economic specificities of the different regions, correcting them existing disparities, ensuring that the tax burden is proportionate to the real value of the properties and to the capacity of each taxpayer“.
