THE EDITOR, Sir:I AM the owner of an Apartment in New Kingston. I have not received a tax advisory stating the amount of property taxes owing for 2004. After reading the notices in the paper I visited the tax office in Cross Roads in an effort to comply and pay my taxes.
After waiting in a line for 45 minutes I was told by a very polite attendant at the window that the system only has the amount owing as one total for the whole complex. She further instructed me to visit their Constant Spring office as they have the amount owing broken down in their system by the apartment and townhouses.
I find it ridiculous that it is so difficult to obtain information and pay our taxes in an environment where the Government uses 70 cents from every dollar earned to pay debts. Additionally it is just shocking in this day and age that one tax office has information that the others don't but they sit in front of a computer system.
Instead of improving their efforts for tax collection and bringing the underground economy under the tax net I find it amazing that the government proceeds to 'increase taxes' and burden the honest hard working Jamaicans.
I am etc.,
R.T.
New Kingston
