The Mayor of Madrid faces a legal challenge
In a move that could set a precedent in municipal fiscal management, the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has decided to file a cassation appeal before the Supreme Court. This decision comes after the recent annulment by the Madrid High Court (TSJM) of the fiscal ordinance related to the rubbish tax for 2025. Almeida announced this measure during the City Council Plenary, highlighting that the municipal legal services have found sufficient legal grounds to take the case to higher instances.
The controversy began when the TSJM invalidated the tax due to a formal defect: the absence of a crucial annex in the economic-financial report presented during its public exposure. This document was considered essential for citizens to understand how the tax would be calculated. However, from the Finance department, led by Engracia Hidalgo, it is argued that this annex was merely auxiliary and that all necessary information was accessible to opposition groups before the final vote.
Almeida firmly defended the work carried out by his officials, assuring that there is no arbitrariness in his decision and that everything responds to well-founded technical criteria. “Justice does not question the legitimacy of the tax, but rather procedural aspects,” the mayor stated.
Despite the technical approach adopted by Almeida, political reactions have not been long in coming. The opposition, led by parties such as Más Madrid and Vox, has demanded that the City Council return the amounts already collected from citizens. In response, Almeida has been clear: “When administrative acts are firm, there is no room for refund.” This stance contrasts with the popular demands driven by Más Madrid, which has launched a campaign under the slogan “Almeida owes you money,” seeking to mobilise citizens to recover what they have paid.
Despite the current judicial conflict, the mayor's team is already working on a new fiscal ordinance for 2026. This regulation is expected to introduce more equitable elements in its design, considering factors such as the number of registered residents and waste generation by neighbourhood. Almeida aims to correct what some critics have labelled as an “administrative botch” while maintaining his legal fight before the Supreme Court.
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