St. Maarten Private Eye

Indeed, property taxes are the stable revenue base that this Island (Country) desperately needs. Traditionally, property taxes are the foundation for the infrastructure than is rapidly crumbling. Roads, water systems, bridges, schools, streetlights and police & fire protections can be properly funded by a sound property tax. We all know that locals feel they are-over taxed already and maybe that is correct, so let’s structure the property tax so that foreign visitors who buy property here pay at a higher level than locals. Maybe locals get a 50% discount and foreign owners pay 100% of their allocation.
If we do this, let’s also consider changing those laws that chase away foreign property owners for all but 90 days each year. If they own a substantial home or condo and are paying their fair share of taxes, why should we keep scaring them away and only allow them here for 90 days? Each foreign owner on the Island buys food daily, visits our merchants, spends money for haircuts, dry cleaners, restaurants, casinos, movie theatres as well as clothing & furniture stores etc. etc.
We get all excited about cruise passengers who spend an average of $75-$100 daily while on the Island. I am certain the foreign property owners spend far more than that and we keep trying to force them to go home for ¾ of the time. Go spend your money elsewhere we tell them. It seems like we are indeed trying to kill the goose that lays golden eggs.