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City
hall suspends tax hike
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City
Mayor Dan N. Lim ordered Monday a stop to the questioned
imposition of the 108 percent increase on real property
taxes in the city as mandated by a city ordinance earlier
approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The
action of the mayor was announced during the top-rated
"Inyong Alagad" program of dyRD, the day after
he was exposed for allegedly harassing a real estate
owner who filed a class suit against him and three other
city kagawads.
Mayor
Lim issued Executive Order no. 03 creating an ad hoc committee
to study the implementation of ordinance No. RC-058 which
earlier called for an increase in the real estate taxes
in the city.
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In
issuing the order, the city mayor informed the Sangguniang
Panlungsod on his predicament of putting into further study
the ordinance which mandates the tax adjustments.
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Lim
was emphatic to order the suspension of implementation
of RC-058 "in light of questions raised against
its implementation."
Minutes
after he announced over the radio broadcast the suspension
of the tax measure, Lim wrote a letter addressed to
Vice Mayor Jose Veloso and the Sangguniang Panlungsod
asking to create the ad hoc body.
EO
03 creates the adhoc committee to study the implementation
of RC-058.
City
Legal Officer Doni Piquero was named chairman of the
body with City Kagawad Oscar Glovasa as vice chair.
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Members
of the newly created ad hoc committee are City Kagawads Edgar
Bompat, Lucio Balbin and Leonides Borja, City Treasurer Visitacion
Acero, and City Assessor Erlinda Samonte. Gaudencio Gabriel,
former city assessor, was designated as ad hoc consultant.
The
body was given 10 days to review the scope, authority and
other legal aspects of the ordinance and to evaluate the responsibility
and authority of the city government under Ordinance 058.
The
Piquero-led group was also asked to determine legal infirmities,
if any, and to recommend the appropriate steps to cure any
alleged legal infirmities.
The
real property tax hike was contested with a class suit filed
against Mayor Lim, City Administrator Walter Toston, City
Assessor Erlinda Samonte, City Treasurer Visitacion Acero
and the city tax collection agents.
Among
the complainants of the new tax collected are Butalid Realty
Inc., Mercedes Subdivision, Inc., EB Gallares Properties and
Associates, Inc., Benjamin Udtohan, Simplicio Yap Jr. and
the Tagbilaran Women's Club.
Their
complaint came after the city government increased the real
property tax of 72.39% on lands and 35.67% on buildings, an
order issued on Dec. 21, 2007.
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