Mass Consultation on Tax Increase Set for June 30
June 13, 2015
BAGUIO CITY – The planned mass consultation on the proposed tax increase will push through on June 30, 9am-12pm at the Baguio Convention Center.
Vice Mayor and council committee on ways and means cluster B chair Edison Bilog sent out invitations to all the barangays, the business and realty sectors, real property owners and all taxpayers to attend the hearing which aims to get the sentiment of the public on the proposed adjustments to the business and real property taxes.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan last year sought a speedy consultation for the city and the people to “strike an agreement on what is reasonable to both the city and the taxpayers.”
He said the city is now obliged to implement the increase after years of stalling to update the old rates and make them compliant with the requirements of the law.
The city is eyeing a 10 percent increase in business taxes under Tax Ordinance No. 2000-01 including city market rental and fees and garbage charges which were last adjusted in 2001 or 13 years ago.
The city also needs to update its schedule of fair market values of real properties which remained unchanged since 1996 making the city non-compliant with the New Local Government Code or the Republic Act No. 7160 provision mandating local government units to undertake a general revision of real property tax valuation every three years.
It was assured that a minimal assessment level will be recommended to temper the expected huge increase in the market value as a result of the city’s passing up on several revision terms since 1996.
At present, the city’s assessment levels are pegged at 12 percent for residential and 35 percent for commercial properties./ A Refuerzo
