STATE COLLECTS 32.5BN/- PROPERTY TAXES

WITH the government extending deadline for payment of property tax to the end of this month, 32.5bn/- has been collected from 30 towns, cities and municipal councils throughout the country.

The government has met its target collection of 58bn/- in 2016/17 FY by 56 per cent; the Ministry of Finance and Planning reveals that for 2015/16 in the same towns, cities and municipal councils its collections stood at 28.3bn/-.

Finance and Planning Minister, Dr Philip Mpango told reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the taxman officially started collecting Property Tax in October 2016, initially targeting 30 out of the 183 local government authorities.

“As we have extended the deadline to collect property tax to July 31, this year, it is not easy to provide appropriate amount collected nationwide as the exercise is still going on, for the time being the figures available are only for those 30 local authorities,” he noted He added, “We wish to extend our gratitude to all people countrywide who have turned out in large numbers to pay property tax.

It should also be understood that each person in the country is obliged to contribute to the country’s income,” he noted. He said the government decided to extend time for property tax collection, to give chance to those who did not get the opportunity to pay to do so.

He, however, reminded the general public that 2017/18 financial year begun on July 1 and therefore, they must start paying their property taxes earlier instead of waiting for ‘D-days’.

Dr Mpango said people should start paying their taxes earlier instead of waiting until the final days. On installation of automatic electronic fiscal petrol printer (EFPP) devices, he said the President has already issued an ultimatum that means they must act upon it.

“This issue is very clear; continue debating on television and social media it will not help as the taxman, since last year, has been reminding filling station owners to EFPPs on their pumps,” he noted.

Meanwhile, he issued a warning to traders who do not issue Electronic Fiscal Device (EFD) receipts on pretext that their machines are out of order and Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has allowed them to use handwritten receipts.

“From today onwards, TRA should give only 48 hours to traders who claim that their machines are out of order, thereafter measures should be taken against them. I also want TRA to make sure they act upon maintenance request from traders as soon as they receive them,” said Dr Mpango.

Expounding further, he said that some traders have been taking more than two months to fix the damaged EFD machines, something that was not proper, he said the government value traders, but it was very crucial for them to comply with the laws and regulations of the country to operate smoothly.

He also urged supermarket and liquor stores to appropriately use EFD machines as some have been issuing fake receipts with no proper amount, date and goods purchased.