Over $30 Million in Outstanding Taxes to City Hall

Bernard Wagner

It was his first interview for the New Year, and today, Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner gave an update on various projects and issues across the city.  This time of the year is primarily when the revenue stream from property and business taxes roll in. The monies collected are the primary lifeblood of the council, used to carry out its mandate – streets, drains and garbage. The mayor told News Five that there are outstanding taxes of thirty million dollars and that the council, as a last resort, will have to take control of these properties and auction them off to recover these monies owed.

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“Thirty million continues to be the figure in backdated property taxes. That’s a huge figure. Our collectors continue to work to try to bring that figure down. We have been in the process of really using the legal mandate of the council which is to, after so many tries, we auction off those properties to recover funds or fees that are owed to the city. The point is when you don’t pay your tax, you are acting ultra vires to the law and within the law, it gives the council the authority to take control of that asset, resell and settle the monies that are owed to us. That’s a last option, we don’t like to do it, but in some instances, we have to. OUT 08:35

IN 06:52 every day we get thousands and thousands of calls about streets. We can’t fix streets if we don’t get the property taxes so I continue to urge residents to come in to pay those property taxes which are used to do the rehabilitation of streets.”

There is currently a discount being offered by the council for persons to pay their taxes – fifteen percent in the month of January, ten percent in February and then five percent in March.