Mysuru: The outgoing Mayor Sunanda Palanetra (BJP) has taken credit for many development works undertaken by JD(S) Mayors, alleged M.S. Shobha Mohan, Chairperson, Mysuru City Corporation’s (MCC) Tax, Finance and Appeals Standing Committee.

Addressing a press conference at JD(S) Office yesterday, she said that as Tax and Finance Sub-Committee head, she had done her best and thanked the JD(S) leaders for enabling her to serve the people.

“The interests of tax-payers have been safeguarded. Former Mayor Tasneem — of JD(S) — had released Rs. 35 lakh for each of the 65 Wards but Mayor Sunanda Palanetra had released only Rs. 10 lakh for filling potholes,” she alleged.

Taking objection to Sunanda Palanetra taking credit in the LED street lighting project, she said that the project was initiated when Tasneem was the Mayor.

“Sunanda Palanetra had claimed that she had got Rs. 25 crore from the Government. But she has favoured only certain Wards while allocating money,” Shobha alleged.

JD(S) members Prema Shankaregowda, Ashwini Ananthu and other women claimed that Sunanda Palanetra was wrongly taking credit for the actual development works done by other JD(S) Mayors. “This is unacceptable,” they said. 

 ‘Super Commercial Tax’

The MCC has dropped the ‘Super Commercial Tax’ classification for certain properties under its purview and has implemented a uniform tax regime to all properties, she said.

‘Super Commercial Tax’ that existed nowhere in the State was imposed in 2007, much to the chagrin of businessmen who had criticised this policy that was implemented to harass and fleece them.

As per the Karnataka Municipal Act, tax in a city can be levied only in three slabs — commercial, residential and vacant spaces. This special category was introduced only in Mysuru and the businessmen here were paying far more tax than any other city in Karnataka. Most of the affected were Choultry owners, hotel owners, theatres and also other commercial accommodation facilities, she said.

Now the super commercial classification of commercial properties for tax collection has been discontinued and Property Tax is being levied under the single category of ‘Commercial’ without categorising them as ‘Commercial A’ or ‘Commercial B’ without any distinction in the extent of tax levied.

There was widespread discontentment among the traders and businessmen over the commercial and super-commercial categorisation.  She assured that as the ‘Commercial A’ and ‘B’ classifications are removed now, Property Taxes have automatically come down.

Corporators Bhagya Mahadesh, SBM Manju, K.V. Sridhar, Ramesh, M.D. Nagaraj and party leaders K.V. Mallesh and Falcon Boregowda were present at the press meet.