Updated tax mapping to hike real property taxes

Some property owners  in Cebu City may have to pay more next year as a result of  tax mapping and revalidation of real properties to be implemented  by the City Treasurer’s Office.

“We are not increasing the rates. We are just updating the use of the property,” said City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo in yesterday’s budget hearing.

The process will correct  any misclassification of property based on actual use.

Camarillo said  150 real property units in barangay Apas, for example, were reassessed and resulted in an increased value from  P25.6 million to P129.7 million or an increase of 405 percent.

“That’s big,” commented Councilor Margot Osmeña, head of the council’s budget committee.

Councilor Edgar Labella said the city should not  “overburden” taxpayers.

The last tax mapping in Cebu City  was done in 1989 yet, said  Camarillo.

By now, the use of several properties have seen changes and enterprises may have added new lines of business.

Revenue generation is important for City Hall to support  Mayor Michael Rama’s proposed P11.8-billion budget for next year.

Camarillo is seeking a P182-million budget for the treasurer’s office for next year or more than double its current outlay.

The bulk of  P42 million  will be spent on tax mapping and revalidation activities.

Meanwhile,  Government Service Office (GSO) seeking  a P288.3-million budget next year, an increase of more than P150 million from this year’s P130 million allocation mostly for fuel, oil and lubricants.

The Cebu city government has more than 1,300 vehicles and is expected to buy 200 vehicles more next year including 4×4 vehicles for the 80 barangays.

GSO head Rolando Ardosa  said he is anticipating an increase in the city’s gas  consumption when garbage disposal is transferred to a private facility in  Pulog, Consolacion town.

But Councilor Noel Wenceslao said Ardosa’s request was too much.

Councilor Edu Rama Jr. said it was a misconception to say that plans to dump the city’s garbage in Consolacion town would increase fuel consumption.

Consolacion town is closer to northern barangays of Cebu City and would require less fuel  compared to dumping garbage in the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

For  southern barangays, 10 leased 10-wheeler trucks will collect trash in transfer stations and  bring it  to Consolacion.

The trucks are  bigger and can carry more load with less fuel use.