I don't want to pay one more cent for any tax to any government. There are better ways to support a society than giving the money to a beurocracy that thinks they can spend it better than the people themselves.

How would you handle the crime problem?

I generally support putting the cost burden or responsibility of solving whatever problem or providing whatever service on the people who directly benefit, rather than the unassociated and unrepresented who have no (or remote) interest on the initiative. The closer you are to the problem, and the closer you are to the solution, the more you care that the actions taken actually solve the problem, and do so in the most efficient way.

To solve the problem, you first need to break the issue down into manageable and solvable compartments and deal with each individually.

In the case of a crime problem you would first have to ask, what crime is specifically at issue and whom is it directly affecting. Then you can look into possible solutions where the people who are most greatly affected can be integrated with the solution.

Do you own property here or plan to buy here? If you do, how do you suppose that there will be any improvement to infrastructure to support your investment if you want a free ride?

I do own property on Ambergris Caye, though just an empty lot. No home or business.

I'm not sure how you get that I want improvement to infrastructure without any cost to myself. In fact, quite the opposite. When I build my home, I should be expected to pay for the improvement of the infrastructure required to support that home. This is exactly the point. Others who simply hold land with no draw on the infrastructure should not be required to pay for those who do.

The town councilors are very seriously working on a solution collect more revenue. I fear that if the general public doesn't input their concerns in a timely and logical fashion that we will all get huge, across the board assessments which will still not have any rhyme or reason - and also I feel that some people will end up exempted or assessed at different levels.

The town has begun gathering its own data to help find true value assessments. Transfers of land are matters of public record and the values paid are recorded in Belmopan and stamp duty (transfer tax) is paid on these title and stock share transfers.

Although tax hikes are unpopular, sometimes they are necessary. But the way they are assessed and implemented may not be logical, so any input will be helpful.

I have spoken with Mayoress Paz on numerous occaisions about city services becoming local. Now that the UDP is running the GOB I doubt any separation will occur.
If you do the math on the Belize tax structure and how the country recieves it's operating money, there is glaring warning signals as to where all of the money has gone.
There are about 300,000 people in Belize, the size of a medium city in the US.
When you look at the low salaries government workers make and the lack of many services nationwide it doesn't make sense.
Belize should be the wealthiest nation in Central America.But since that is an entire different thread for another day I'll move on.

1.San Pedro needs to collect all of the tax dollars due.
2.San Pedro should hire and manage their own police and fire force. They should also fund a paramedic program.
3.The BTB should fund at least $500,000Bz to the town council.
4.There should be a point of entry/exit for all air and water taxi passengers to the island.
5.The GOB should provide better educational and recreational facilities to the island.
6.Wouldn't this all be nice! Fantasy hour is over...carry on!!

If property was assessed at full value at $350,000 (not a usually high number these days) occupied property would go from about $300 to $9,000 under the law that was quoted. Boy you better get a lot more services and less crime.

If you start a "local" police force, what's to stop the National Gov. from pulling some of their police out to other crime areas around the country and in numbers you end up the same or maybe lower. Maybe the locals would be better because they live here; maybe they would be as ineffective.

Before we throw wheel barrels of money at our problems we should have some well thought out plans before you end up with very high taxes and the same problems. Wasn't it a few weeks ago I read they where floating an idea to levy a considerable tax on docks to protect the environment in some way that wasn't quite explained in the papers. I'm not sure where that stands now.

There needs to be a good plan, the right attitude by the people in charge and the backing by town people to get the changes you want.

Amanda tried to send you an email, but it just came back failed, are you having any problems with your email address ?

Ragman says..."Wasn't it a few weeks ago I read they where floating an idea to levy a considerable tax on docks to protect the environment in some way that wasn't quite explained in the papers. I'm not sure where that stands now." Nope ..not a gradual increase,but crazy talk like that by the taxman is enuff to put a halt to tourism and local jobs. The unemployed will have more time to get into trouble and then you will see even more crime!