Mortsel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mortsel will increase local taxes from 2026, raising income tax from 6.5% to 7.5% and property surcharge from 830 to 895 %. Mayor Michiel Hubeau cites €1.3 million extra police costs.
As VRT News reported, residents of Mortsel, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, will face higher local taxes from next year under the new multi-year plan for 2026 to 2031.
“We had hoped that the financial situation would be better, but unfortunately, we have to intervene to make our city financially healthy again,”
Hubeau regrets.
What do higher taxes and €1.3M police costs mean for Mortsel residents?
The city will raise the additional tax on personal income from 6.5% to 7.5%. The surcharge on property tax will rise from 830% to 895%. These increases mean households will pay more on their yearly tax bill and on the levy tied to the cadastral value of their homes.
Mayor Hubeau says Mortsel is dealing with extra pressure because federal and Flemish authorities continue to shift new tasks to local governments without offering extra support. He mentioned that the city must now cover more duties in areas such as social care, public safety, and infrastructure with its own funds. The council says the higher tax levels bring Mortsel closer to the norm in Flanders and will help protect long-term projects.
Mortsel is facing high costs after the split of the police districts. Since the start of this year, Borsbeek is no longer part of the Minos police zone following its merger with the city of Antwerp. City officials say the change adds €1.3 million in extra expenses every year.
“We do it in a way where the strongest shoulders have to contribute a little more than the narrower shoulders.”
Michiel Hubeau (Green), mayor of Mortsel
The city council reports that these higher police costs come on top of rising expenses across several services. Because of this, Mortsel cannot balance its budget with one-off actions.
“We can’t cover this shortfall by selling a property or postponing an investment, so we all have to chip in.”
“But we do this in a way where the strongest shoulders have to contribute a little more than the narrower shoulders,”
the mayor emphasises.
Officials say all planned investments have been reviewed to see which projects can be delayed, adjusted, or reduced. Even after this review, the city says long-term measures are still needed to keep services running. Without structural changes, Mortsel warns it will face serious difficulty in covering the ongoing costs linked to the police reorganisation.
“But we’ve consciously chosen not to compromise Mortsel’s assets. It’s a very pleasant city with many young families, a rich offering, and close to the city centre. We don’t want to compromise on that.”
On January 1, 2025, Borsbeek officially joined the municipality of Antwerp after several years of discussion, which began in 2022. On February 24, 2022, the municipal council of Borsbeek and the city council of Antwerp agreed to explore a voluntary merger.
Residents took part in a consultative vote on September 24, 2023, and both Borsbeek and Antwerp city councils agreed to proceed with the merger in December 2023. By merging with Antwerp, Borsbeek would become the 10th district of Antwerp and a member of Antwerp’s police force.
