THE Baguio–Benguet chapter of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is seeking a friendlier realty tax increase following the proposed revision of unit base market values for commercial and residential lots in the city.
In a position paper, the local chamber raised several points and recommendations, which can help Baguio’s revenue collection issue after the revision of proposed new schedule of market values for real properties by the City Assessor’s Office.
The position paper noted the increase of realty tax in the city counters to the affordable housing program of the city while urging the city to defer the increase of tax on commercial properties and industrial estate pending the passage of the city’s Land Use Zoning and Plan.
“Public participation and intervention represented by the business sector in the ongoing consultation for the passage of the proposal is necessary to help craft a more acceptable realty and business tax rate increase,” the position paper said.
The local chamber also suggested the city to increase their efficiency in the in the collection of unpaid business and realty tax from the national government and Camp John Hay and at the same time conduct extensive barangay and central business district tax mapping on illegal vendors to be legitimized.
It also urged the city to create a technical working group to further study the proposed updating of market value of real properties to study position papers, comments, and suggestion of various stake holders composed of representative from the business sector.
The PCCI Baguio–Benguet added the increase of business and realty tax will also increase the cost of mass housing and subdivision lots and deter people from buying properties in the city which will shy away investors.
The chamber also asked the city to stop the practice of tax amnesty and the condoning of fines, surcharges, interest or penalties for erring tax payers in fairness for those religiously paying their taxes on time.
Baguio officials are also urged to conduct an intensified tax mapping and revalidation of real property units to have a tax mapping data to be used by the City Treasurer’s office to determine if the classification of the land, building or real property coincides with its actual use or if it is still within the classification based on their tax documents.
At the same time, PCCI Baguio–Benguet encouraged the City Government to strictly adopt austerity measures by preventing or cutting expenses disallowed by law. (Roderick Osis)