Video | This is how the administration fries Catalans with taxes: 'True disgrace'

Catalonia is the region where people pay the most taxes, with the highest rates and the most local taxes. A user has decided to share their water bill on social media to show the abuse by the administration. In this case, it is a bill from the municipal services of Caldes de Montbui.

This is a quarterly bill between March 6 and June 6 of this year. The user, a professional office, used one cubic meter (35.3 cu. ft.) of water, which costs one euro and seven cents. From there, the taxes start to add up.

The non-domestic service fee has a charge of almost twenty euros, while the water fee amounts to 14 euros multiplied by four. There is also a tax for the sewer system. The total bill amounts to 88.05 euros.

In other words, the water consumption costs one euro, but the user, in this case an office, ends up paying 88. This means that the municipal service charges the user 8,800% in taxes on the actual water consumption. "A real disgrace, an outrage," the affected person exclaims, "there's nothing more to say."

"They're looting us"

The video has sparked multiple reactions in the form of comments. Sergi states that in his office they pay 40 euros "to wash my hands and flush the toilet." Another comment reflects that "it's clear we're not paying for services, but for taxes," which they consider "an extortion."

"It's not enough for them with income tax, inheritance, ITP, donations, they also loot us with the supply. We have to subsidize the government's corruption and embezzlement," they state.

"It's a scandalous theft," says one of the comments, along with many others expressing their outrage with cries of "shame." There are only a few messages defending the taxes for the upkeep of the system. "Even if you didn't use anything, the city council still has to keep the sewer system and infrastructure," says one of them.

There are many more who complain about the abusive taxes to keep an administration that then wastes the money. Municipal taxes have long been under the spotlight of controversy. There were even revolts in several municipalities against the increase in rates.