WMC wants 2.5% increase in property tax allocation

WESTERN BUREAU:

Amorkard Brown, the councillor for the Leamington division in the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC), is calling for central government to increase the property tax allocation to municipal corporations from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent, saying it will strengthen their capacity to deliver better service.

In bemoaning the scarce resources available for critical local services and infrastructure improvements, Brown said a greater slice out of property tax would give municipal corporations more resources to effectively address the needs of communities and drive sustainable development across the country.

Brown, who tabled and caused a resolution on the matter to be passed and adopted at last week’s general meeting of the WMC, said municipalities across the island are facing serious challenges due to the limited resources for infrastructural needs and disaster preparedness, alongside the general need for funding to sustain local development and public services.

“Be it resolved that I, Amorkard Brown, councillor for the Leamington division, call for an increase in the allocation of property tax revenue to the island municipalities from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent in the first instance,” said Brown, in tabling the resolution.

According to Brown, the current allocation of 7.5 per cent of property tax revenue to the island municipalities is woefully inadequate and needs to be increased in short order.

“The current 7.5 per cent can no longer address the needs of the people and increasing the allocation by 2.5 per cent would make it a bit easier to support sustainable development, improve local services, and enhance the quality of life for the residents in their respective communities,” said Brown.

The resolution, which was seconded by Councillor Michael Jackson, of the Whitehouse division, is to be sent to all the other municipalities across the island as well as Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, whose support they are seeking to solicit.

Brown, who chairs the WMC’s strategic planning and policy committee, told The Gleaner, following the meeting, that the additional funding that would come with the increased allocation will put the municipal corporation in a much better position to address issues such as maintaining essential services such as street lighting, solid waste collection, and road rehabilitation.

BUDGET CONSTRAINTS

“Our current budget constraints are hindering our ability to effectively serve the community. An increase in the allocation from property taxes is necessary to ensure we can meet the needs of our residents and maintain the infrastructure that supports our daily lives,” argued Brown.

The local government ministry uses property taxes to pay the National Solid Waste Management Authority for the collection of domestic garbage, and the Jamaica Public Service for the provision of, and the monthly maintenance of street lights.

Brown’s predecessor, former councillor Cebert McFarlane, during the previous WMC administration, which was led by former Mayor Bertel Moore, had tabled a similar resolution. He had also contended that municipal corporations were laden with expenses, which they were not able to finance because resources from central government sometimes took as long as 24 months to be processed and released.

“Over the last year or two, we have been given more financial responsibilities. Some of the pay and travel increases, the council has to be paying those,” McFarlane said at the time. “If you notice, anytime something comes up, and the central government can’t deal with it, they normally put the responsibility on parish councils, such as repairs to bridges and minor roads.”

“Where will the parish council get money at any point in time to repair bridges?” McFarlane asked, in noting that an increased in allocation to the parish council from property taxes would expand their capacity to fulfil such responsibilities.

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