Tourist tax illegal: Bauza

City tourism council Joan Bauza yesterday slammed the proposed tourist tax claiming it was illegal. “I feel that it is illegal because only those tourists who stay in hotels will pay. This means that 30 percent of holidaymakers will escape the tax net because they are either staying in apartments or private homes,” he said. “Everyone should pay their taxes. You can't have this sort of discrimination. It should be everyone or no-one,” he said. Bauza said that he fully supported plans to protect the environment and said that money was needed to improve tourist resorts but he added that a tourist tax was not the way to raise the necessary funds. The major tour firms think likewise and they are calling on the government in Madrid to provide extra cash aid for the Balearics. “Naturally having such a large volume of tourists causes problems. There is greater traffic conjestion, more strain on public transport and other facilities. But these are services which are needed and which should be given the necessary funds so that they can be improved.”