AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life Living in Belize "San Pedro Taxes What do you think?" Open Thread

Amanda, I'm from a high tax State and bought in San Pedro partially to escape the high taxes and regulations. (Of course there where other considerations) My home in the states is taxed at about 1% of full market value and is reassessed every couple of years by "qualified" appraisers. (The assessment always increases of course and in areas where they have dropped they increase the rate per thousand in that town.) Real estate taxes here have become a real problem. I'm sure I'm not alone in this. If you taxed me at 1% of "real value" of my home, my tax bill would increase 10+ times.

Now I understand the needs and I agree with most of them but a 10+ times additional expense would have been calculated into my decision to buy. Any increase must be gradual and based on a fair equation. You must use assessments which are real for everyone and have a reasonable method for appeal. Exemptions for certain deserving people, OK. The problem is going to be keeping politics and favoritism out of it. Lastly the taxes paid by owners must be a public record which can be easily accessed.

In addition my unit (north or the bridge) has no city water, no trash pick up, a path for a street, not much in police protection. Being retired soon and living on a fixed income do I pay the same rate as some one in town who has city services? I'm not looking for a lot of services and I'm satisfied with what San Pedro offers, go easy, bigger government and resulting higher taxes scare me more.

The discussion on raising real estate tax was begun as a possible solution to the crime problem by raising needed funds to help with this.

Voicing suggestions on ways to make an increase in property tax equitable are all good. Just voicing objections to raising the tax is not helpfull unless an alternative way to solve the problem is offered.

I personally do not feel any goverment could offer me the basic services I need with the revenue from the little tax I pay.

Put me down as someone not satisfied with just "getting what I am paying for" and willing to pay more to get services like a safe place to live.

I didn't purchase property and live part of the year in San Pedro because the taxes are cheap there. I want the other reasons I did to be preserved.

What difference does it make what the taxes are if the town does not or cannot aggressively collect.

My understanding is that there is no real recoarse for those that choose not to pay. The only time back taxes come in to play is when a proerty is sold. If one has no plan to sell then there is no real motivation to pay other than "it's the right thing to do".

No question taxes are too low. I just paid mine last week, a grand total of $180 US for two lots.

B-N-US
I agree. I heard the Mayoress say that 60% of the property taxes are unpaid. It was suggested to her that the names of these property owners be published in the paper. She gasped "Oh no, you can not embarrass people that way."

About increasing taxes: California passed Proposition 13 that froze taxes .."In the state of California, if your property was a beneficiary of Proposition 13, when you sell that property and purchase new property you can take your property taxes with you providing that the new property you purchase costs less than the selling price of the old property and that you are buying in the same county or a reciprocating county. . . "

I purchased a small house in 1973. In 1990 I tore it down to the stud walls (even some of those had to go) and rebuilt adding a 2nd story. Since I kept the footprint the same the tax on the lower floor remained the same but the 2nd story was taxed at the much higher rate. Taxes went from $600 a year to $1,800 every six months.

This formula could work here very easily

First question that needs to be answered is "are the taxes levied, i.e. all taxes, sufficient to generate the income to provide the needed services?"

Then one can discuss fairness, collection and efficiency of goverment, etc.

My question to the Mayoress would be: If all the taxes were collected, could you provide the needed services that you are not?.

If her answer was yes, then I would say collect the damn taxes and give the services. If the answer is no, then decide what is needed and how to get it - that is your job.

Oh, we're gonna have a budget????????

I'm all for paying more property tax if it will get things done. But the question is, why should the people who pay have to make up for the people who don't? I understand the poor can't afford to pay their taxes sometimes but there are also some rich people not paying their taxes. Why should I cover their share?

You shouldn't and they should be embarrassed as noted above.

You must have a legal system that forces payment...liens and seizures for non-payment.

Its ironic that the legal system will confiscate property and sell it to statisfy a debt determined to be owed to a person, but cannot find a way to collect money owed the goverment.

I wonder if it is a fault of the legal system or a fault of elected officials to do their job.