By Zoila Palma: Leader of the Opposition Tracy Panton is calling out the Belize City Council saying that the council increased property tax by 18% without any consultation or warning.
“Belizeans are reeling from an 18% increase in property taxes in Belize City, with proposed increases to trade license fees and higher garbage collection fees for commercial customers now adding even more pressure to households and businesses. This is not a time for the Belize City Council, or any other municipality for that matter, to be advancing requests for increased salaries and stipends for councilors,” Panton said.
Panton says that “public service must never become self-service. When citizens are being asked to pay more, they are entitled to see better services, stronger accountability, and clear value-for- money citizen-centered initiatives.”
Panton says that at a time when “families are cutting back on essentials and small businesses are struggling to survive, the City Council must demonstrate that every dollar being collected is delivering real improvements not being absorbed by internal benefits.”
The Leader of the Opposition explained that sacrifice cannot be demanded from the public while comfort is negotiated for those in office.
The post Leader of Opposition calls out Belize City Council for property tax increase; says “not the time for increased salaries” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Leader of the Opposition Tracy Panton is calling out the Belize City Council saying that the council increased property tax by 18% without any consultation or warning. “Belizeans are reeling from an 18% increase in property taxes in Belize City, with proposed increases to trade license fees and higher garbage collection fees
The post Leader of Opposition calls out Belize City Council for property tax increase; says “not the time for increased salaries” appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
