Denizens fume at VMC plan to go for property reassessment

  • | Tuesday | 10th July, 2018

Property taxes levied by the VMC’s revenue wing were again revised by the same department in the name of deviations and it clearly shows the double standards of VMC. Vijayawada: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is facing criticism over its move to launch a GIS-enabled survey to streamline property tax reassessments in the city.The civic body’s promise to not increase property tax slabs is not cutting ice with denizens, who fear that reassessment of properties will lead to unwanted changes to the existing tax structure.The VMC which focused on improving income through property taxes had focused on the reassessment of assets. Tax revenues increased from Rs 60 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 90 crore in 2017-18 with correction of assessments, and the VMC is now conducting a digital door-to-door and reassessment survey.“VMC has not revised the tax slabs for the last 10 years but it is is indirectly adding to our financial burden under the excuse of deviations. Property tax burden was increased by 30% on an average and people residing in urban slums are targeted the most,” alleged CPI secretary Donepudi Shankar.CPI-Marxist (CPM) capital region coordinator Ch Babu Rao said Telugu Desam lead municipal council is resorting to technology to pile on additional burden on the middle and lower-middle-class families in the city.“The civic body which ignored around Rs 90 crore property tax dues from various state and central government offices in the city is trying to collect additional taxes from property holders. GIS survey can be done to identify damaged old pipelines, drain lines and roads but the civic body is using this technology to loot property holders,” he said.The VMC is levying double tax on the assessments which have additional floors and sheds on top which is unethical and the VMC revenue wing which imposed lesser taxes should be punished and denizens are facing tax burden due to its inefficiency, Babu Rao alleged.Officials of the revenue wing of the civic body told TOI that the GIS survey is for improving the civic infrastructure and is not intended to increase taxes.

Vijayawada: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is facing criticism over its move to launch a GIS-enabled survey to streamline property tax reassessments in the city.The civic body’s promise to not increase property tax slabs is not cutting ice with denizens, who fear that reassessment of properties will lead to unwanted changes to the existing tax structure.The VMC which focused on improving income through property taxes had focused on the reassessment of assets. Tax revenues increased from Rs 60 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 90 crore in 2017-18 with correction of assessments, and the VMC is now conducting a digital door-to-door and reassessment survey.“VMC has not revised the tax slabs for the last 10 years but it is is indirectly adding to our financial burden under the excuse of deviations. Property taxes levied by the VMC’s revenue wing were again revised by the same department in the name of deviations and it clearly shows the double standards of VMC. Property tax burden was increased by 30% on an average and people residing in urban slums are targeted the most,” alleged CPI secretary Donepudi Shankar.CPI-Marxist (CPM) capital region coordinator Ch Babu Rao said Telugu Desam lead municipal council is resorting to technology to pile on additional burden on the middle and lower-middle-class families in the city.“The civic body which ignored around Rs 90 crore property tax dues from various state and central government offices in the city is trying to collect additional taxes from property holders. GIS survey can be done to identify damaged old pipelines, drain lines and roads but the civic body is using this technology to loot property holders,” he said.The VMC is levying double tax on the assessments which have additional floors and sheds on top which is unethical and the VMC revenue wing which imposed lesser taxes should be punished and denizens are facing tax burden due to its inefficiency, Babu Rao alleged.Officials of the revenue wing of the civic body told TOI that the GIS survey is for improving the civic infrastructure and is not intended to increase taxes.

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