Cork Mayor breaks ranks to vote for 10% property tax cut

The Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork broke ranks with his party last night to vote for a 10% cut in the city’s property tax.

The decision will mean the council will have to find €535,000 to balance its draft 2016 budget, which had factored in no change in the 2016 Local Property Tax (LPT) rate.

The vote to cut the rate for the second year in a row was passed after Lord Mayor Chris O’Leary, whose party had been seeking the maximum 15% reduction, voted with Fianna Fáil and several independents for a 10% cut.