Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says he is not afraid of being voted out because of property tax
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says his government will push ahead with instituting property tax, even if it means losing the next general election. He made these comments last evening while debating the Property Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 in Parliament.
Dr. Rowley told Parliament that the only way local government can be funded sufficiently to meet the needs of its burgesses is through property tax. He explained that currently, the central government is unable to fund local government properly.
Dr. Rowley also criticized Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for complaining about the timeframe given to prepare for debate on the motion. She stated that Parliamentarians were only notified on Friday, which did not give them sufficient time to thoroughly evaluate the legislation.
Despite the Opposition’s objections, the bill was passed, allowing the property tax to be reduced from 3% to 2% of the annual rental valuation of residential properties.
