(haipo) – “There is no logic in raising property taxes in neighborhoods like Neot Peres, Ramat Hanasi and others, which do not receive proper services that justify a classification in the A rating,” says City Council member Adv. David Etzioni, following the municipality’s decision to include in the new tax order for 2026 a clause to change the classification of new neighborhoods. According to the proposal, these neighborhoods will move from B rating to A rating, a move that will result in an increase of Thousands Shekels per year in property tax payments for apartment owners in those areas.
David Etzioni against the tax increase order for 2026 ►Watch
As published on 6/6/25 on the Hai Pa websiteThe 2026 tax order, which was recently submitted to members of the Finance Committee in the Haifa Municipality, includes a controversial clause: reclassification of several new neighborhoods in the city, including Neot Peres, Ramat Hanasi, Givat Zemer, and Neot Navon, from Taxation Zone B to Taxation Zone A. According to the municipality, this is a necessary step with the completion of construction work in most of these neighborhoods, and the improvement in the quality of life, less noise and dust, paved sidewalks, well-maintained public areas, and more extensive municipal services.
City Council member Attorney David Etzioni rejects the claims: According to him, the neighborhoods in question, primarily Ramat Hanasi and Neot Peres, do not enjoy adequate services that justify a classification in the A category. Neot Peres, for example, is still awaiting the implementation of the umbrella agreement – which Etzioni himself promoted in previous terms and continues to deal with a severe shortage of basic services such as educational institutions, a sports hall, kindergartens and regular public transportation. In addition, a new neighborhood is being built nearby, and its residents suffer from noise and dust, which, he claims, illustrates the gap between the reality on the ground and the justifications presented by the municipality for the move.
Attorney David Etzioni opposes the new tax order and clarifies that there is no logic in raising property taxes in neighborhoods such as Neot Peres, Ramat Remez, Ramat Hanasi, and others, which do not receive proper services that justify a classification in the A category. According to him, Neot Peres, for example, is still awaiting the implementation of the umbrella agreement that he himself promoted in previous terms and still lacks basic services such as a sports hall, schools, kindergartens, and regular public transportation.
This, and even more so when another neighborhood is being built next to it and the residents suffer from noise and dust. "It makes no sense for such a neighborhood to be reclassified, when it doesn't get what it deserves," he said. He added that in the other neighborhoods, residents also don't enjoy proper infrastructure and services, so there is no justification for money that the engineering department fails to generate to come from the residents' pockets.
Adv. David Etzioni adds: Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav is currently working to appoint Hedva Almog as an external consultant to the Engineering Administration and the Planning and Construction Subcommittee, headed by Deputy Mayor Adv. Sarit Golan Steinberg. The appointment is intended, according to municipal officials, to assist in setting priorities, prioritizing projects, promoting them, and implementing them in light of the municipality's complex economic situation and the urgent need to accelerate processes that will add revenue to the city.
Etzioni welcomed the appointment of Hedva Almog to head the Engineering Department, due to her extensive experience, an important step taken by the mayor in order to streamline the work of the director.
He said he is confident that it will be able to drive processes and help the city generate appropriate revenue, without burdening the residents.
As a reminder, Hedva Almog retired from political life in 2023 after more than two decades on the Haifa City Council. During her years in office, she served as deputy mayor in the last two terms of Yona Yahav, and was one of the most prominent figures in the city's leadership. Before entering public life in Haifa, she served in the IDF in senior positions, and among other things, served as a chief of staff. She retired from the army with the rank of brigadier general.
Haifa Municipality's response: Following recent publications regarding the intention to change the property tax classification in some neighborhoods of Haifa from Level B to Level A, Mayor Yona Yahav decided that the issue will not be brought up for discussion and the increase will not be made.
People get money without working...
There is no justification for new neighborhoods with all the services to be classified as B.
There is nothing missing in Neot Peres, nor in Ramat Hanasi.
The fact that they are building in neighborhoods - even the residents of the mansion suffer from trucks, dust, and problems from the proliferation of TAMA 38.
It is enough for populism to yield to the pressures of well-publicized residents in these neighborhoods not to pay property tax A on apartments that they describe in their advertisements as "new luxury neighborhoods."
For over 10 years they have been in luxury apartments classified B, and old, neglected neighborhoods classified A. This is absurd.
Appointing pensioner Hedva Almog to push through several plans that Sarit Golan rightly does not want to pass because some members of the shakshuka system are unhappy – a very bad move.
There were huge failures during the Almog era, and the entire terrible Givat Zemer is one of them.
During her term, no organized preservation plans were promoted, no organized master plans for neighborhoods, no evacuation and construction, Tama 38 was promoted in a corrupt manner with people who were not authorized to sign plans. There was a fatal blow to the engineering director and ongoing functioning during Almog's term. The director of Wadiyot was not promoted after the fire despite her explicit promise. In fact, she is responsible for much of the current damage.