The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Left parties and other Opposition parties are gearing up to strongly oppose the new property tax regime in the special meet of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) council scheduled to be held on August 7. The Opposition parties allege that the State government is not bothered about opinion of people on the issue and is ready to go ahead with the decision.
Secretary of CPI (M) Greater Visakha City Committee and Corporator of Ward 78, B. Ganga Rao, alleged that the State government is planning to implement the new property tax regime from the coming months ignoring the suggestions/ opinions of the citizens. He alleged that in the special meet the YSR Congress Party is planing to get the proposal passed with its majority.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, Mr. Ganga Rao said that the officials claim that they have received around 9,200 responses, but he questioned what about the 15,000-odd signed representations which were received, but not accounted for. He said that the corporation is not even considering the pleas of people.
“If the government decides to implement the taxes, what is need of a council and corporators?” he questioned. Mr. Ganga Rao said that people should question the corporators over their stand on the new property tax regime. The CPI(M) will stage a massive protest on August 7 against the property tax, he added.
TDP floor leader in the GVMC Peela Srinivasa Rao said that the party will continue to oppose the new tax proposal to levy taxes based on capital value instead of the annual rental value. If the charges are levied as per capital value, the property tax of a land/place or a house increases every time the registration charges increase, he said.
Even during the recent council meet, the YSCRP corporators have favoured levying of user charges for garbage collection with their bench strength. Now, they should think about people who have voted for them, he said.
“Instead of planning for new tax regimes, the government should focus on the steps to be taken for the possible COVID-19 third wave and stop burdening people,” Mr. Srinivasa Rao said adding that the TDP leaders will not let the council pass the proposal.
Meanwhile, the resident/apartment and colony welfare associations from the city are planning to stage protests ahead of the meet
