Why Antelope Street Family Can’t Pay Property Tax

Could a legal loophole help residents of Belize City avoid paying overdue property taxes? We’ll tell you what city councilor and mayoral aspirant Philip Willoughby’s role is shortly; but first, Ryan Davis of Antelope Street is taking his case to City Hall after receiving a summons on behalf of his ailing grandmother who is seeking medical treatment in the U.S.  Davis and his uncle Edwin owe nearly two thousand dollars in taxes which they say cannot afford. Here is their story as told to News Five this afternoon.

Ryan Davis, Resident

“The other day I see a property, land tax come up. On it it says that my granny have to go to court dah morning but my granny no deh ya fi the past four years; and she drop sick – she can’t hear, walk nor see and she deh pah bed.”

Reporter

“And you guys can’t afford the property tax yourselves?”

Ryan Davis

“No, ma’am; it’s about five or six thousand and we noh gah no job; we can’t pay it.”

Reporter

“So who all lives here along with you?”

Ryan Davis

Ryan Davis

“Me and my uncle and my brother and my sister and their family.”

Reporter

“And none of you have a job or ability to pay this tax.”

Ryan Davis

“Only two of us have job in this place; we can’t reach the amount of money to pay the land tax.”

Reporter

“And nobody gave you any notice as to when this tax was due because it’s due every year?”

Ryan Davis

“They brought a summons for my granny to go to court but she’s not here.”

Edwin Davis

Reporter

“But nothing before that?”

Ryan Davis

“No, nothing before that.”

Edwin Davis, Resident

“We would really want to see if you could help us out and look into our situation because we dah poor people; we di try mek wah change eena wih life and my nephew and all a deh bally di try do something positive for the youths in the program and I really want you to look into that for me.”