By Sherilyn Pang
SHAH ALAM, Oct 21 — The Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ) will not be increasing its assessment tax this year despite the inflation and rising cost of living in recent years, says its newly elected mayor Noraini Roslan.
“With the upgrade of status for Subang Jaya as a city, there won’t be a tax increase for 2020. However, we need to be realistic that living costs and the spending for managing a city have continued to rise,” Noraini said during a virtual press conference today.
She said the assessment tax contributes 72 per cent to the revenue of the city council and is supported by commercial rental collection and development fees.
Despite the increase in the value of real estate in Subang Jaya in recent years, Noraini said the council still maintains the same valuation level from 1995 to 1997.
“Apart from that, the cost of management, petrol, utilities and salary of employees in recent years have increased as well. That is why we have no choice but to adapt to lean management, for now, to keep within our costs,” she said.
“However, we are currently reviewing existing valuation rates and management costs. We will only implement the new rates after we have completed the reevaluation process,” she said.
Noraini also said the council will not raise the tax value above 20 per cent based on the council’s expenditure requirements.
“We try not to raise the tax value beyond 20 per cent based on the council’s spending needs and we hope the residents would be able to understand these needs. I think the residents will be able to accept the new tax valuation rate,” Noraini said.
Subang Jaya officially achieved its city status yesterday and is the third city in Selangor after Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam to have reached the status.
