At the start of the year, we told you about the City Council's 1% hike on the rate of property tax.
It's a measure that they say had to be taken in an attempt to recover the millions in back taxes owed to the city.
But will it do any good? And was it an appropriate measure to take with property owners still in the economic throes of the pandemic? We put those questions to Mayor Bernard Wagner.
Reporter
"Property tax, you can pay right now at a 15% discount, however, there was a 1% increase which means that that 15% discount has you paying exactly what you paid last year without discount. Was this an appropriate time to increase property tax?"
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
"Well, if you go by the law you should have done an increase about 5 years ago we have a quinquennial process which should have been executed in 2017 right, we never did, when we came into office in 2018 we didn't pursue it but given the circumstances, we couldn't see how we could ever look to increase property taxes but 2021 is one percent, 2022 it is only 1% and if you were paying $100 dollars in property taxes, right, say for last year. So, one percent increase on that will give you ten dollars, right, one dollar actually, one dollar you'll be paying extra now but we are giving a 15% discount so it really nullifies. It cancels out everything."
Reporter:
"Only for the start tho, for the first few weeks or months?"
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
"Yeah, the 15% is for January, in February it's 10% and in March 5%."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Still, the overall question sir is how can you increase anything during the pandemic?"
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
"Well, the people are asking for services, each and every day, the streets are breaking up. The city owes 21million dollars. Each of you sees the state of the streets but you expect us to fix the streets, isn't that so. But we can't fix it if we don't get our revenues. It's a simple ABC."
