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Saturday, February 04, 2006
Traders urge junking of 'exorbitant' tax code
By Jane Cadalig
BAGUIO CITY -- Businessmen in La Trinidad are asking the Provincial Board (PB) of Benguet not to ratify the town's revised tax ordinance on grounds that the rates were excessive.
The businessmen, represented by lawyer Guerrero Felipe, said in a position paper that the Municipal Government went beyond the 10 percent increase in rates as provided for in the 1995 Municipal Revenue Code.
The traders were earlier favored with an order temporarily stopping the implementation of the ordinance but this lapsed last January 20.
The garbage fees for various business establishments are among the provisions being questioned.
Under the 1995 Revenue Code, the garbage fee set for vegetable dealer establishments is P500. The town's revised tax code raised it to P2,500.
Amusement centers and billiard halls are being asked to pay P1,000, from the original P300 garbage fee.
Aside from the exorbitant rates, the complainants also said the Municipal Government did not comply with the publication requirement.
Mayor Nestor Fongwan, however, said the revenue code had been posted in three conspicuous places in La Trinidad compensate for the absence of a local paper circulating in the town where the ordinance could have been published.
The 2005 Revised Revenue Code was posted at the Municipal Hall building, the Benguet Provincial Capitol building, and public market, he added.
The Local Government Code provides that tax ordinances and revenue code measures may be posted in at least two conspicuous and publicly accessible places in cases where there are no papers of local circulation in a city or town. (Sun.Star Baguio/Sunnex)
(February 4, 2006 issue)
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