MONTEGO BAY, St. James (March 9, 2017): The St. James Municipal Corporation is urging property tax compliance as it intensifies collection across the parish.
The Municipal Corporation (formerly Parish Council) and its team of compliance officers along with employees from the Tax Administration of Jamaica’s Collectorate in Montego Bay have been on targeted special promotions to increase property tax receipts.
Several special promotions and outstations have been held in Cornwall Court, Rhyne Park, Grab ‘N’ Go Texaco Service Station at Fairview, Anchovy, Cambridge and Whitter Village.
Residents make queries about property taxes in Cambridge, St. James.
The Corporation also hosted the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development’s Mobile Tax Unit in the parish from March 2 to 4, 2017.
“We are urging residents to pay their property taxes, because these monies pay for streetlights, garbage collection and disposal, parochial road rehabilitation and improving community spaces. Our target this year is $770 million and this is the same as the previous year. Right now, we are $179 million dollars behind our goal,” said the Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis.
Mayor Davis also disclosed that there is an ongoing review of the uses of the property tax receipts with a view to diversify the spend to include parochial roads repairs.
Homeowners, occupants and tenants are liable for the payment of property tax. Penalties and interest are applied to outstanding sums and delinquents can be taken to court and properties may be seized for non-compliance.
The parish of St. James accounts for almost 56,000 parcels of land that are on the property tax register.
The Corporation is also looking at introducing an incentive of half a million dollars towards community projects for the areas with the highest property tax compliance rates of 80 percent and more. An incentive of $300,000 will be given to the community that secures first place and $200,000 will go to the runner up.
Last year, only $694,200,636 million was collected in property taxes across the parish of St. James.