Taxation of Property Taxes on Wind Farms. Some Tax and Economic Aspects of Municipalities Cover Image

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Taxation of Property Taxes on Wind Farms. Some Tax and Economic Aspects of Municipalities

Author(s): Stefan Babiarz
Subject(s): Economy, Business Economy / Management
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego
Keywords: construction; building and non-construction of wind power; technical elements; wind power station; microinstallation; property tax; annex to the Act

Summary/Abstract: After 1st January 2017, wind power stations are constructions composed of at least a foundation, tower,and technical elements, which shall be subject to property tax, and their tax basis is their value as referredto in property tax provisions. Provisions of Art. 2 point 1 and 2 of the Act on investment in the scope of windpower stations are provisions of law which further specify in detail the definition of construction from Art. 3point 3 of the Construction Law Act, and, in addition, are provisions of construction law because, as beingprovisions of an act regarding taxes, they may constitute the basis to establish a tax law relationship, and in thiscase the subject of the case and a tax basis. The fact that Art. 17 of the Act on investment in the scope of windpower stations regarding the time limit for establishing and collecting property tax in accordance with the provisionsapplicable before the entry into force of the Act on investment in the scope of wind power stations wasadded as a correction in the course of parliamentary works does not breach Art. 118 par. 1 and 2 and Art. 119par. 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, because the provision in question is strictly related to thematter contained in the said act. The fact that new rules (subject and basis) for taxation of wind power stationsdo not include, from 1st January 2017, sea wind power stations is not discrimination against land wind powerstations and does not breach the rules contained in Art. 32 par. 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland,because the conditions of construction works, costs of construction works and operational time of sea and landwind power stations are justified by their varying circumstances in the aspect of tax law provisions. In orderto counter the effects of increased tax liabilities on account of property tax, and, consequently, likelihood ofbankruptcy of such tax-payers and the resulting decrease of municipality income, decision-making bodies ofmunicipalities should use available legal mechanisms in this scope, in particular the possibility to introduce,also in the course of a pending tax year, a definition of the subject of taxation and tax rates. This condition isnot met by individual interpretations of the provisions of tax law, because they may be changed ex officio bythe Head of National Tax Authorities.

  • Issue Year: 2017
  • Issue No: 87 (2)
  • Page Range: 111-128
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: Polish