KINGSTON, Jamaica – People with unpaid property tax bills for more than three years could have their property confiscated and put up for public auction, under the provisions of a new Bill seeking to amend the Tax Collection Act.

The Bill proposes that the Commissioner General (of taxes) may, in accordance with the rules of the court, apply to the Supreme Court for an order of sale in respect of any land with “any amount due and payable under the Property Tax Act in arrears for at least three consecutive financial years before the financial year in which the first notification in respect thereof is published”.

The sale shall be conducted by public auction, any person may bid for the land and the proceeds will cover the costs incidental to the sale, outstanding property taxes, payment to mortgages with security over the land and the surplus will be paid to the debtor.

The Tax Collection Bill is one of three bills which form the legislative basis for the property tax reform under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2015/16, tabled in the House of Representatives, Tuesday. The other Bills are the Property Tax (Amendment) Act and the Land Valuation (Amendment) Act.

They were tabled by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr Peter Phillips in the House of Representatives.

The amendments will also provide for, among other things, the publication of names, valuation numbers, addresses and amounts outstanding of delinquent property owners in the Jamaica Gazette, daily newspapers, broadcast media or a Government website, subject to court proceedings.

They include provisions to allow for the utilisation of a wide array of media for the posting of assessment notices.

The amendments to the Land Valuation Act will provide for the interim adjustment of land values in periods of no more than two years, to take account of changes in economic conditions and/or change in the use of properties.

Balford Henry