Exemption from new tourist tax for Bonaire property owners

To the Island Council of Bonaire,

The new tourist tax rule that requires payment of up to $75 on each arrival in Bonaire was designed to replace the current daily tourist housing and vehicle rental taxes.  While Bonaire residents are exempt from this tax, the many property owners who are not sedula holders will now be required to pay taxes as tourists every time they come to their homes.  Homeowners routinely travel back and forth between their Bonaire homes and their country of residence and this new tax will unfairly cost them hundreds of dollars per year.

Homeowners were not subject to tourist taxes before and should not be required to pay them now.  We pay thousands of dollars per year in property taxes, road taxes and ground lease fees to the government.  Property owners are not the "tourists" for which this tax was designed.  We already pay our share of island expenses at tax rates even greater than that of residents and should not have to pay this additional tax. 

We, the undersigned, request that the Island Council modify the new Tourist Tax rules to allow an exemption for property owners who can provide a copy of a deed or recent tax bill upon arrival in Bonaire.  This would be the same as showing a sedula to be exempt from the tax.  This function could be added to any on-line platform for tourist tax collection by providing the CRIB number for the property. 

Thank you.

Bonaire Property Owners

Stan Zamkow    Contact the author of the petition