Massive property tax collection drive in Clarendon
MAY PEN, Clarendon — The Clarendon Parish Council has launched a massive property tax collection drive in an effort to meet its targets for the 2014/15 financial year, according to a news release from the council.
The drive which started on Monday, February 16 was scheduled to last six weeks.
The news release reported secretary manager of the parish council Rowhan Blake as saying prominent citizens including parish councillors were being targeted as the local authority moves to collect close to $270 million.
The collection drive is being focused on the three main tax collectorate areas in Clarendon — May Pen, Chapelton and Lionel Town — the release said. Blake urged property owners including councillors to pay any arrears they may have, including that owed on lands owned by their parents and grandparents.
Property taxes are essential to the funding of services carried out and supervised by parish councils.
The news release noted that the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is to implement a series of measures in conjunction with the local authorities to improve property tax collections. The ministry is to engage large land owners including the National Land Agency and the Commissioner of Lands in order to regularise land ownership and have more persons reflected on the tax roll.
The news release also reported that Deputy Mayor of May Pen and councillor for the York Town Division, Uphel Purcell (PNP) recommended the passage of legislation to recognise home ownership as a criterion for inclusion on the tax roll. Purcel reportedly told the council meeting that a house or building tax should be in place for homeowners whether or not they legally own the land on which they build.
The councillor said his recommendation came against the backdrop that a large number of home-owners are not being captured on the parish’s tax roll because they are informal settlers, occupying lands they do not own.
The deputy mayor argued that most of these individuals are willing and able to pay their property taxes, but are unable to do so because the system does not currently accommodate them. He called on the local authorities to lobby lawmakers to have the laws changed.
