My plan for property taxes

THE EDITOR, Sir: EVERYONE WHO owns land in Jamaica must pay property tax.

Effective April 2017, I am now suggesting the following, namely:

1. Every homeowner/residential owner should pay a five per cent increase in property tax on the value of that property as of April 2017 and should be in effect for two years. At the end of fiscal year 2018-19, the same cycle of increase should be repeated for two years.

2. Every business owner/owner of commercial property should pay a 10 per cent increase in property tax on the value of that property as of April 2017 and should be in effect for two years. At the end of fiscal year 2018-2019, the same cycle of increase should be repeated and continued every two years and beyond.

With my above suggestions, compliance should be more affordable and predictable.

Those entities t hat should be exempted from paying property tax are: 1. Churches, sanctuaries and manses. 2. Food for the Poor properties. 3. SOS Children’s Villages. 4. All boys’/girls’ home properties. 5. All associations who are owned of voluntary groups/properties.

If the aforementioned suggestions are acceptable, the Government will be better able to plan more precisely without financial confusion and potential objections. HUGH ENNIS PO Box 6292 Montego Bay, St James