Government plans to “strong” 100 acres in Sandhill from
Byron and Armead Thurston. It is a part of the 2,000 acre Baker’s Ranch
estate which the Thurstons have owned since 1975. But Area Representative Edmund
Castro told us last night that the family owes nearly $100,000 in property taxes.
So Castro says government is moving ahead with plans to take 100 acres away
from the Thurston’s in lieu of taxes. But not so fast says attorney for
the Thurston’s Arthur Saldivar. Saldivar who is a political aspirant for
the area, says the tax assessments are arbitrary and besides – his clients
have been paying their taxes. But we begin with what Castro told us last night
– that the Thurston’s are delinquent landowners.
Hon. Edmund Castro, Belize Rural North Area Rep.
“They owe a lot of taxes and this parcel of land is approximately
1,923 acres of land. We are not looking to take away no 300 or 500 acres of
land, we are only looking to acquire a piece of the land in lieu taxes so the
valuation department from the Ministry of Natural Resources will then have to
go in and value the land and give us a value in terms of money per acreage of
land that we can get for the people of Sandhill.”
Keith Swift,
“How much do they owe?”
Hon. Edmund Castro,
“They owe approximately $100,000 without the interest calculated up
to date.”
Keith Swift,
“Your clients owe 90 odd thousand dollars. Do you dispute that?”
Arthur Saldivar, Attorney for Thurstons
“Of course I dispute it Keith.”
Keith Swift,
“But it is in black and white Mr. Saldivar.”
Arthur Saldivar,
“Yes Keith, many things are in black and white. But what I am saying
if you examine the tax ledger you will notice that Mr. Thurston has been paying
his taxes up to 2005, fully paid up. In 2005 apparently the Ministry of Natural
Resources instituted a new rate of taxation on properties. But that rate of
taxation and whatever formula they were using did that countenance the developed
portion of Baker’s Ranch or what we would consider developed in our estimation.
It must be established that 600 or so acres of Baker’s Ranch that
sits on the western side of the Northern Highway is developed with conventional
development; houses, barn facilities and other such structures.
I don’t think that when you examine that tax ledger that they will
show any consideration being given to the portion of land that has been developed
as opposed to that that has been left in its natural state. So it cannot be
accurate, it cannot be an accurate representation.
Outside of that, delinquency cannot be a ground to fund any action against
Mr. Thurston because he has not been delinquent. If they are saying that he
has not paid taxes at all, we could understand. But it has been shown that he
has been paying his taxes since 1978 to 2005 and in fact has made payments since
2005. He may not have paid fully because there is a problem with the way the
tax has been assessed, a valid concern is there on the part of the land owner
as to the way he is being assessed his taxes. This is not a speculator Keith.
Nobody speculates for 40 years.”
Again Saldivar says his clients will wait until they something in writing
before acting. It is of note that prior to the reassessment in 2005, the Thurston’s
ranch was valued at a mere $212,000.
Email
Print