Cutting the Balance Grants of Arab Municipalities and Local Councils.

Petition filed in 8/00 against the Ministry of Interior (MOI), the Minister of Finance, and the Prime Minister challenging the cuts in balance grants to Arab municipalities. In accordance with the recommendations of a governmental committee, balance grants are given to all municipalities to close budget gaps between the municipalities. In the 2000 budget, the criteria used by the MOI to determine the balance grants discriminated against Arab municipalities in comparison to Jewish municipalities. Rather than remedying past discrimination, these criteria further widen the gap between Arab and Jewish localities.

Result: Petition withdrawn in 11/00 upon the establishment of a committee charged with re-assessing the formula used to determine the distribution of budget grants.

(H.C. 6099/00, The National Committee of Arab Mayors v. Ministry of the Interior, et. al.)