UNC: Were property tax evaluators trained?

OPPOSITION Senator Wade Mark is questioning whether the valuators who came up with the rental values on which the property tax is based were licensed, chartered surveyors. He said he had heard they were unqualified.

Speaking at the UNC’s media conference on August 11, Mark called on the public to demand that the government discontinue the property tax.

“With this current tax you are receiving in your mailboxes via assessment notices from BIR to pay ridiculously high sums of money for rental, and they are taking decisions on value of property based on valuations, how did they arrive at these rental value valuations? Who are the valuators?

“We don’t know their names, their professions, if they are licensed, chartered surveyors that will be charging your properties. I’m hearing it is unqualified people, assigning all kinds of fictional values to your properties, and this is putting significant stress and financial strain on the people.”

Wade said the penalties to be applied are draconian and unfair.

“If you fail to pay, the government writes you to threaten to impose penalties and charges that will continue to mount if you fail to meet the property tax imposed. If you are unable to pay after five years, Dr Rowley and the Cabinet can seize your home under section 41 of the Property Tax Act.”

Mark also criticised the process of objection, as he said in many cases the commissioner of valuations did not respond.

“You have 30 days to object, but who are you objecting to? The same commissioner of valuations that sent unprofessional people to value your property, you have to write to the commissioner of valuations to record your objections. It is himself to himself. Within a nine-month period, he is supposed to respond to you. In responding to you, if he does, he changes nothing.

“Your fictional valuation then travels to the Board of Inland Revenue, who assess the valuation, and post to you an assessment notice, telling you that you have to pay thousands of dollars by September 15.

“The Valuation Tribunal, which was established under Act 5, 2018, would be a PNM board, as four out of the five members would be appointed by the PM, with the other being appointed by the President.

“Do you think you will get justice there?

“However, the PNM is yet to establish and operationalise the tribunal.”

Mark said there are ten grounds for objections on the assessment notice, six of which relate to the valuation roll.

“This is the database which contains every residential property, the square footage, what taxes you have to pay, etc.

“We have no access to the valuation roll. It should be a publicly available resource for everyone whose property is being assessed.

“I appeal to you to lodge objections to the Board of Inland Revenue. Everyone who receives these assessment notices that are unfair should lodge an objection.”