ARUA PROPERTY OWNERS RESIST CITY’S UGX 1.5BILLION TARGETS FROM PROPERTY TAX
Emmanuel Angudubo, the Assistant Town Clerk and manager for local revenue in Arua City speaking to URN on Property Tax Projection.
URN
With two months to the end of the Financial Year, Arua City authorities have intensified efforts aimed at collecting targeted shillings 1.5 billion local revenue from property owners.
Last financial year, the City collected shillings 1.17 billion from property tax alone, a rise of over shillings 300 million the previous year. According to records from the City, the rate of property tax ranges between as low as shillings 4,000 and 100,000 per annum basing on one’s property size, location and use.
While part of last financial year’s collections were channeled to procurement of a grader for the council, this and next financial year’s property tax collections are being prioritized for street lighting, physical planning, garbage management, anti-malarial drains, land banking and more road opening.
Emmanuel Angudubo, the Assistant Town Clerk and manager for local revenue in Arua City said property tax is one of the reliable sources of local revenue for the City but wonders why many property owners are not taking it positively, hence frustrating its collection.
According to Angudubo, at full compliance, Arua City should be in position of collecting a targeted shilling 2.5 billion threshold from property tax alone, adding that compliance will help the City to deliver better services to the people.
However, Mercy Ocotoko, a resident of Ayivu division and a person with disability says what tax payers expect from the City is improved socio-economic status of its citizens, calling for improved relationship between the tax payer and collector.
Fadhil Kujo, a tax payer and resident in the city Central division says there is need for quality service delivery in return for local revenue paid to the council.
In 2022, Arua City council carried out property tax assessment for all property owners and issued notices, but the subsequent years have realized an increasing resistance in its revenue collection, which has since forced the council to lock and seal off doors to dozens of property owners in the City.
According to the City council, there is need for continuous sensitization of the citizens on property tax payment for better and improved service delivery.
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