The Jerusalem Municipality charged a soldier who had been discharged from reserve duty interest on arrears for late payment of municipality tax
A resident of Jerusalem who had been discharged from reserve duty at the end of February 2024 filed a complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman, within the framework of the Office's initiative to receive complaints from reservists. According to the complainant, the Municipality of Jerusalem had unjustifiably charged him interest on arrears for the late payment of municipality tax for the year 2024.
The municipality answered the Office of the Ombudsman that it had sent the complainant the usual notification of payment of municipal tax, and upon his failure to pay on time he was charged interest on arrears in accordance with the provisions of the law.
The Office of the Ombudsman pointed out to the municipality that the complainant had been serving in reserve duty, and thus the provisions of Postponement of Deadlines (Temporary Provisions - Swords of Iron) (Contract, Judgement or Payment to Authority) Law, 5784-2023. According to these provisions, persons who had served in the army during the determining period were permitted to make various payments 31 days after the deadline determined for the rest of the public. The Office pointed out that the deadline for payment of municipality tax for 2024 was 1.1.24, and therefore reservists were entitled to postpone payment of the tax until 1.2.24. Furthermore, interest on arrears could only be charged in cases where the debt in municipal tax had not been paid within 30 days of this postponed deadline. The complainant had paid the municipal tax on 4.2.24 and had thus been unjustifiably charged interest on arrears.
In accordance with the findings of the Office of the Ombudsman, the municipality reimbursed the complainant with the sum of interest that he had paid.
The Office of the Ombudsman did not suffice with this and asked the municipality to check if there were other cases in which reservists who had served during the determining period had been charged interest on arrears, despite their having paid the debt before 2.3.24, and if so - to reimburse them with the interest paid. The matter is currently being investigated and the Office is monitoring the outcome.
The Office of the Ombudsman is here for you, in its protection of the rights of reservists as well.
