Mangalore, Feb 12: Even after the number of promises made by the political parties during the time of election, the city dwellers have to bear an additional property tax more than 15 percent per year which will effect from April 1.
Although the BJP and Congress parties had assured voters of not implementing the self assessment property tax scheme, after getting elected, BJP stated that the implementation was done by city corporation administrator and deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district.
Whereas during the recent election, Congress too had assured not to implement it but as per section 109 of Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act 1976, property tax has to be revised once in three years by an addition of not less than 15 percent. A per this provision, hike can be as high as 30 percent.
This hike in tax require the approval from city corporation, but since the election for the post of mayor is still pending, Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, who is also administrator of the city corporation will get the power to implement the hike. If he implements, the people have to pay the tax on dwelling units, commercial units, non-agricultural vacant lands more than 15 percent from April 1, 2014. The minimum hike will help the city corporation to collect 43.67 crore in the coming year.
