As the 2018 Local Government Elections (LGE) nears, Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has expressed his belief that Government intends to force Local Government Authority Areas to increase taxes as neither the Alliance For Change (AFC) nor its governing partner, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) have been highlighting the issue on the campaign trail.
He noted that following the 2016 LGE, the PPP had not increased taxes, whereas the APNU/AFC stronghold areas saw increases for property rates and taxes.
Moreover, with property valuations on the horizon, the PPP General Secretary (GS) had promised that no increases in rates will be implemented in the areas his Party wins at LGE.
In a conference prior to this, Jagdeo had said that, “We have been in opposition to increasing the rates and taxes in this country, we believe this government has increased too many taxes, over 200 taxes. They are collecting 60 billion dollars more per year now compared to 2014 from residence, so we are opposed to any new burden on people’s backs.”
He also made the point that the move by the incumbent Administration to hire an international firm to conduct countrywide evaluations to properties could mean only one thing, that is, that the taxes for the populace would be increased.
The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, a Canadian firm, was contracted by the government for approximately $330 Million to assist with the exercise.
The project is expected to last until next year.
Meanwhile, touching on his Party’s readiness for LGE, which is scheduled for November 12, Jagdeo posited his belief that even though the PPP has lost some seats via the “gerrymandering” of Local Authority Areas by Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, they will be successful at the polls.
