Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia yesterday lauded the Department of Justice for its decision striking down the ordinance raising the valuation of real property in Bacolod which would have led to much higher real property taxes in the city, a press release from his office said.

 However, Leonardia called on the people to keep vigil, and see what else City Hall will do to impose the onerous tax increase on the people. This administration has proven it can shortcut its way to higher taxes, Leonardia said, and it can do the same the second time around, if the people do not watch out.

This onerous, arbitrary, discriminatory and baseless tax rate should not be allowed to pass, Leonardia said, citing how it suspiciously favored the mayor’s family businesses, aside from incredible real property tax (RPT) rates that went up by as much as 1,500 percent.

In the valuation for Lacson Street, Leonardia said the entire stretch from Burgos to North Drive was valued at P25,000/sqm while the stretch of North Drive to O Residences, where the mayor’s Rolling Hills offices and commercial building that houses The Dugout and Tom N Toms Coffee are located, was valued at a lower P20,000/sqm only. From O Residences onwards, the rates go higher again to P35,000/sqm.

MEMORIAL PARKS

Leonardia also pointed out that, for memorial parks, the Lawn Lots in Rolling Hills were valued at P8,140 while those at Valley of Peace  was assessed at P23,000. Garden Lots at Rolling Hills were valued at P8,500 while those at Valley of Peace at P25,000, he added. How in the world is that possible when Rolling Hills has been operating for decades while Valley of Peace has not even opened yet?

Make no mistake about it, Leonardia said, the ordinance will make buying lots at Valley of Peace harder than buying at Rolling Hills. This is opportunism and unfair competition, he added.

Clearly, this shows a malicious attempt at using his powers to benefit his business interests.

POLITICAL WILL OF ARROGANCE

The mayor says this is all about political will, to pursue something unpopular, Leonardia continued. “I say this is political arrogance, to pursue something that will hurt and bleed the majority of our people.”

Leonardia said he cannot understand why the administration would want to raise real property taxes now when he was able to pursue his agenda as mayor in the past without doing so. All it takes is the courage to live within our means and that is why I had never entertained increasing the RPT in the 12 long years that I was mayor, he added.

Besides, this administration has not earned that moral right to burden our people with heavy taxes because it has not even proven itself to be worthy of the people’s confidence not having achieved anything of major significance for almost two years in the Government Center, Leonardia added.*

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