HOW true is the report that the city government of Bacolod is charging real property tax (RPT) payers with the old rates especially when they are angry?

Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) Negros Chapter president Kenneth Tirthdas and Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association (Creba) Negros Occidental Chapter Inc. president Eduardo Suatengco also received these reports.

In fact, there were several taxpayers who were indeed been charged with the old RPT rates despite the imposition of the new RPT rates.

SHDA and Creba want to know the real score about the implementation of the new RPT law, their officials said.

The two groups filed a case against the city before a local court as they find the new RPT rates “unjust, oppressive, excessive and confiscatory.”

The new rates are not properly studied and assessed, Tirthdas said, thus there were many complaints about the errors and defects of the said ordinance.

A local bill cannot be perfected in a matter of three months. The level of increase is from 400 percent to 1,000 percent, he added.

They also said that the real property tax collection has dropped drastically as a lot of people cannot afford the new rates.

"We are not against tax increase if it is done gradually and not abruptly and exorbitant. The city could have spread the implement from three to four years and everybody would be willing to pay and the same will benefit both the taxpayers and the city government," Tirthdas said.

Tirthdas and Suatengco was with their lawyer Marvin Tanada during the media interview yesterday.(CNC)