Kamla: Why property tax for home owners first?

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has questioned why Government is seeking to implement the property tax for residential owners first and placing pressure on the "small man" in these difficult financial times.

She was giving the opposition leader's response to the budget in the House on Friday.

She noted Finance Minister Colm Imbert in his budget presentation had announced Government is moving to mandatory registration in the plan to implement the property tax, which requires that at least 50 per cent of properties are valued.

"Why is the first line of attack residential, when these are the most vulnerable persons? Why don't we go industrial, and the big commercial properties? Why we must go after the small man again? You have a public servant who built their house over a time. Why do you want to advantage him at this time?"

She said the Government had put the "dreaded" property tax on its list of revenue-raising measures in its "complete bankruptcy of ideas."

"I have called on the Government repeatedly to hold their hands on the property tax.

"We are currently facing a pandemic where thousands of people have lost their jobs, incomes, and livelihoods."

She stressed every owner and occupier of land will be liable to pay property tax, including squatters, and added landlords will pass on the cost of the tax to their tenants.

She said by law, no valuator has the power to go into someone’s home without their permission without 48 hours’ notice.

"I am informed that there is a shortcut method right now that is ongoing for the valuation exercise. Even if you did not fill out your valuation return form, the Government is engaging in 'curbside valuations' – they are standing up by the road and assessing your home.

"In other words, they are doing a 'maco valuation.'"

Persad-Bissessar said deeds submitted for stamp duty in the past five years were being to used to determine the value of properties, and added the Finance Minister has the power to implement the tax retroactively and charge from October 1, 2017 or for the last three years.

She also criticised Government for "crashing" the labour market even before the covid19 pandemic, pointed out the list of National Insurance Board contributors had dropped from 519,926 insured contributors in 2015 to 452,234 in June 2018. She said from anecdotal evidence in the media, an additional 10,000 people had lost their jobs before covid19.

"Add to this débâcle now the possible retrenchment and job loss at WASA, T&TEC, the used-car industry, National Petroleum and the port of Port of Spain.

"We see no clear skies on the horizon. Any light at the end of the tunnel is of a train coming in our direction."