MP: Amendments to tax laws specifying local authorities' powers

MP: amendments to tax laws specifying local authorities' powers
ARKA, 18.02.2010

The government-proposed amendments to tax laws don’t widen local governing institutions’ powers, but only specify them, Vardan Ayvazyan, chairman of Armenian National Assembly’s economic committee, said on Wednesday.
“Even if the proposed bill is passed without changes, it doesn’t mean that local self-governing authorities will get a right to set new taxes at their own discretion,” he said.
The lawmaker said that the amendments “give local administrations greater financial opportunities necessary for using their legal powers”.
He said that that despite local authorities enjoy legal powers, they have no levers against unfair taxpayers.
The bill, he said, clearly specifies property and land taxes, which constitute the main financial source for filling community budgets.
At the same time, Ayvazyan agreed with opponents who think that some taxes, such as tax on sales, need better specification.
The amendments imply separation of national and local taxes and define types of local taxes.
Property, land, hotel, sales taxes, as well as taxes on uncompleted construction, uncultivated agricultural areas, misapplication of land plots intended for construction, advertising on the communities’ property, car parking and occupation of public territories are considered as local taxes.
The bill will brought to a vote on the next parliamentary session scheduled for February 22.