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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1974
TWELVE-WEEK EXTENSION FOR PROPERTY TAX PAYERS ******
PROPERTY OWNERS IN TSUEN WAN AND TSING YI HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN EXTENSION OF THE TIME LIMIT - TILL DECEMBER 23, 1974 TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAX. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY ASKED TO PAY BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
THE 12-WEEK EXTENSION WAS CONTAINED IN THE REPLY TO THE PREPOERTY OWNERS' PETITION TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE ON OCTOBER 15.
THE REPLY, SIGNED BY THE DEPUTY COLONIAL SECRETARY, MR. MICHAEL CLINTON, SAID IN PART 1
+IN VIEW OF THE CONCERN FELT BY YOUR COMMITTEE AND THE TIME TAKEN TO CONSIDER AND REPLY TO YOUR PETITION, AN EXTENSION OF THE TIME LIMIT BY WHICH PROPERTY TAX FOR 1974-75 SHOULD BE PAID IN RESPECT OF PROPERTIES IN TSUEN WAN HAS BEEN GRANTED.
+1 MUST HOWEVER MAKE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT THIS WILL APPLY TO THE CURRENT YEAR ONLY AND THAT ANY TAX NOT PAID WITHIN THIS PERIOD WILL HAVE A 5-1/2 PER CENT SURCHARGE ADDED AND OTHER ACTION PRESCRIBED BY LAW WILL FOLLOW IF NECESSARY.+
REFERRING TO THE PETITION'S MENTION OF INFLATIONARY EFFECTS OF THE EXTENSION OF RATES AND PROPERTY TAX TO TSUEN WAN AND TSING YI, PARTICULARLY IN THE PRESENT ECONOMIC SITUATION, THE LETTER SAID :
*OWNERS AND OCCUPIERS OF PROPERTIES IN THE MAIN URBAN AREAS HAVE BEEN PAYING THESE TAXES AT THE FULL RATE FOR MANY YEARS BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE BURDEN OF PAYING FOR THE SERVICES SOCIAL PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE SPREAD AND BE SHARED AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE. INDEED THIS IS MORE PARTICULARLY THE CASE WHEN WE ALL ARE HAVING TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS.+
THE LETTER ALSO REMINDED PROPERTY OWNERS THAT PROPERTY TAX (WHICH IS A TAX IN INCOME FROM PROPERTY AND IS NOT RELATED TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES) IS NOT PAYABLE ON OWNER-OCCUPIER PREMISES.
A PROPERTY OWNER WHO IS NOT AN OWNER-OCCUPIER BUT WHO IS MARRIED AND WHOSE TOTAL TAXABLE INCOME DOES NOT EXCEED $20,000 A YEAR WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY THIS TAX IF HE OPTS FOR PERSONAL ASSESSMENT.
MOREOVER, IT ADDED, OWNERS OF BUSINESS CONCERNS MAY HAVE THEIR PROFITS TAX REDUCED BY THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX THEY HAVE PAID IN RESPECT OF PREMISES USED FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES.
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