There has been an amendment to the Property Tax Act in Anguilla whereby persons on fixed incomes and indigent persons are to get relief from the payment of the house tax.
The Property Tax (Amendment) 2016 was taken to the House of Assembly by Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Victor Banks, on December 29. It was passed with members of the Government giving their full support to the legislation.
Speaking on the matter, the Chief Minister said in part:
“Mr. Speaker, I beg to move that a Bill entitled the Property Tax (Amendment) Act 2016 be read a second time. This amendment allows the Minister of Finance to make regulations providing for the remission of tax payable by pensioners – and taxpayers experiencing financial hardship.
“Mr Speaker, you will recall that very early in the review exercise that took place this year, there were some concerns about hardships, and in particular one category of persons who would be on fixed incomes.
“This amendment is to allow the Government of Anguilla to put in place regulations which allow the remission of tax payable by pensioners and taxpayers experiencing financial hardship; and for indigent persons and persons with fixed incomes who are unable to raise the additional revenue required to meet their tax commitments. They now have an opportunity under this amendment to be looked at.”
The Chief Minister went on: “Mr. Speaker, I know that this is something that has been long awaited. We have been doing it very informally at this point, but we want to ensure that it is in the legislation in a manner which allows the Government of Anguilla, the Ministry of Finance and Inland Revenue, in particular, to be able to deal with these unique cases where persons with fixed incomes, and persons experiencing financial hardship, are given an opportunity to have their tax revisited.”
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also moved the second and third readings of the Interim Stabilisation Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The Act further extends the payment of the levy by private sector employees and employers for yet another year. The measure provides an annual budgetary support of some 14 million dollars.
