Tuesday, October 02, 2007 Tax hike looms in Dumaguete City By Edmund B. Sestoso
DUMAGUETE City residents are expected to complain against the impending tax increase being pushed by the administration of Mayor Agustin Perdices.
City Treasurer Christina Merced appeared before members of the City Council and appealed for the drafting of a tax measure that will provide another round of tax increase.
“I already knew that no one among you councilors want to sponsor a new tax measure because of the perceived and expected repercussions, but this time we ask your political will of doing the city a favor by having another tax measure,” stressed Merced during her appearance before the City Council in its regular session.
It was Councilor Manuel “Chiquiting” Sagarrbaria who invited Merced to the council to explain and justify the necessity of adjusting or revising the 1997 Omnibus Tax Ordinance of the city.
Merced pointed out that the existing Local Tax Code, which is dated back in 1997, is already outdated.
She explained that there is a national law that allows local government units to increase the valuation of the real property taxes every three years and an increase of at least 10 percent on business taxes for every three years.
However, she lamented that the City Government had not done the same, thus depriving the city of collecting millions of pesos and according economic and social services to the people.
“But sad to say that in Dumaguete City, these area seems to be the neglected part of their work,” stressed Merced in the same appearance at the City Council.
At the end of her appeal, two or three councilors committed to initiate and sponsor a possible amendment to the tax ordinance.
Merced’s move came several months after the City Government was recognized as number one in real property tax collection efficiency for the second quarter of year 2007 in the whole of Central Visayas.
