Belmonte padlocks two QC funhouses

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. ordered the closure of two funhouses yesterday for non-payment of city taxes and operating without a mayor’s permit.

Padlocked by a joint city treasury and city hall police operatives were the La Legende KTV at the corner of Quezon Avenue and Araneta Avenue and the Lexus club and restaurant along Timog Avenue.

In his closure order, Belmonte said operation of the two business establishments should be stopped immediately for non-payment of city taxes and their failure to secure a mayor’s permit and licenses.

A report submitted by city treasurer Victor Endriga showed Lexus had accumulated tax amounting to P2.5 million.

La Legende, on the other hand, incurred more than P2.6 million in tax. Endriga personally led city hall officials and police operatives in effecting the closure order against the two funhouses.

Accompanying him in effecting the closure order were Gregorio Banacia, public affairs and information services office head; and Superintendent Nestor Abalos, deputy chief of the CPDO city hall department.

Belmonte has made it clear that while it is the policy of the city government to be business-friendly and giving incentives to taxpayers who pay their taxes religiously and promptly, business establishments must pay their taxes which will return to them in the form of improved delivery of basic services and job generation for the city .

The mayor has also discouraged the granting of tax amnesty, believing that this is unfair to those who pay their tax obligations on time.

Instead of tax relief, the city government holds public auction against delinquent real properties.

During his first three-year term as Quezon City mayor in July 2001, Mayor Belmonte has initiated a prudent fiscal management and aggressive and effective tax collection system, which made Quezon City the biggest tax collector in the country last year.

The budget surplus posted by the city government during the last three years has translated into better delivery of services, like infrastructure development, as well as social and health services to the city’s constituents.

Because of this, Quezon City is on its track toward realizing its dream to become a quality community.