THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) claims that their proposal to jack up zonal valuation between 300 to 500 percent will greatly benefit the city because this will boost the city's tax collection, consequently the city's internal revenue allotment (IRA).
Not surprisingly, the people, who will be taxed are not about to believe the BIR.
We've heard it before, but nothing has changed. IRA remains as they are and national government projects are but a minuscule of what those in the national capital are getting.
The Commission on Audit is questioning the P45 million worth of vehicles procured by the city under the Local Disaster Risk and Management Fund saying such items are not in the city's disaster reduction management plan. This time, the people prefer to side with the local government saying they see where the vehicles are and these are being used a lot.
The big difference? Trust.
BIR is trying to defend an increase in what they want to collect from the people, but for long years, the people know how taxmen have been conducting themselves and how huge the houses of these taxmen are.
The emergency vehicles of the city, on the other hand, is everywhere and within call; thus never mind if it cost the city P45-million.
Plus, the reality that with such outrageous increase in one blow, the wily residents know who will benefit the most: the fixers and the corrupt. This above the more than 30 percent already taxed from every earning individual and the VAT and eVat from every purchase is just too much as the city does not see much of what the national government should be pouring back.