Mobile Tax Unit makes $4.5-million haul

The St James Municipal Corporation says it is greatly encouraged by the response from residents to its special property tax promotions and outstations, which recently made stops in the communities of Dumfries, Norwood, Ironshore and Cornwall Court.

The promotion, which ran from September 27 to 30, received support from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development's mobile tax unit.

More than 380 residents across the targeted communities visited the outstations to make queries and payments.

Approximately $4.5 million in outstanding property taxes was collected as residents responded to the opportunity to pay without having to visit the often-congested Island Revenue Centre in downtown Montego Bay.

According to Montego Bay's mayor, Homer Davis, he was pleased with the level of compliance, and further noted that the funds will improve the corporation's capacity to provide greater services to the various communities in the parish.

QUALITY SERVICE

"While we urge residents to pay their property taxes, we must also ensure that those communities that commit themselves to making their annual payments are provided with the quality service that is paid for through property tax receipts," said Davis.

He also hinted that the municipal corporation will be looking at bringing the service to other communities, as he is convinced that more residents will respond to this novel way of paying their taxes.

The funds generated from property tax are used to provide services such as street lights, garbage collection and disposal, parochial road rehabilitation and improving community spaces.

For the 2017 to 2018 financial year, St James has set an ambitious property tax target of $1.1 billion. To meet the target, the municipal corporation and its team of compliance officers, along with employees from the Tax Administration of Jamaica's collectorate in Montego Bay, will be reaching out to property owners to get them to pay up.