Public told to pay taxes early

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan called on establishment owners to renew their business permits earlier than usual to avoid wrangling through long lines at City Hall.

Domogan said some 14,000 business permits are expected to be renewed this month. Added to this are thousands more of real property taxes that need to be paid by landowners to the City Government.

He said the One Stop Shop for business transactions have been operating smoothly and stressed this should also be the case in other departments, which handle the collection of real property taxes.

They have streamlined some procedures to hasten the issuance of new business permits. This includes removing some signatories from building officials and fire department inspection requirements which he claimed cannot be done in a 20-day renewal period.

He stressed these requirements should be given a longer time for the departments concerned to thoroughly check safety requirements for all establishments.

He emphasized that the Fire department has been signing the business permits for the meantime but this will be subject to a whole year round fire safety inspection that if business owners are not able to comply would result to the cancellation of their permits.

The City Government is also in the process of synchronization of its computer database to improve transaction processes at the City Assessor’s, Business Permits and Licensing, Accounting and Treasury Offices.

As early as the fourth quarter of the year, business owners are already reminded through notices by the City Treasurer’s Office to pay their dues but only a few have been paying on time and have been waiting for the deadline.

He also emphasized many tax payers are waiting for amnesties which will be given by the city government but he stressed they will not condone late taxpayers as it is unfair for those who have been punctual in paying their taxes.

Incentives should be given to early tax payers as in the previous years with raffle prizes and free coffee for those who are waiting in the One Stop Shop.