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Senate hearing considers doubling container tax; OMB projects $4.1M in new revenue, debate over VIWMA split
Summary
Senator Angel Balquez introduced bill 36‑0039 to raise the flat container tax (20‑foot to $100; 40‑foot to $200) and add a 45‑foot flat‑rack fee; OMB and BIR presented revenue projections and the Waste Management Authority backed a partial share for anti‑litter/collection programs while shippers urged caution.
Senator Angel L. Balquez Jr. presented bill 36‑0039 to the Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance on July 10, proposing to modernize the Virgin Islands container tax by increasing length‑based flat rates and adding a fee for 45‑foot flat‑rack containers. Balquez framed the measure as a modest, predictable way to raise revenue for port operations, road and landfill impacts and anti‑litter programs, contrasting the territory’s flat, length‑based approach with neighboring jurisdictions that levy value‑based tariffs and higher layered taxes on imports.
What the bill would do - Raise the container tax for units up to 39 feet from $50 to $100; raise the 40‑foot rate from $100 to $200. - Add a new fee for 45‑foot flat‑rack containers (text of amendment cites $205 in one read‑out provided during testimony). - Introduce two small administrative fees: a $25 documentation/processing fee per container to fund oversight (salaries and O&M) and a $3 recordation/technology fee per container to fund digital recordation improvements (OMB proposal).
Revenue projections and distribution Julia Reimer, director of the…
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