Hong Kong protests have cost government billions in tax dollars after trashing of Legislative Council building in July
- Legco building was damaged in July and delay in legislation means some residents will not get their bills until April
The government coffers will receive several billion dollars less in tax revenue this year, because delays partly caused by pro-democracy unrest mean some taxpayers may not get their bills until April, according to the financial secretary.
Protesters smashed up the Legislative Council building on July 1, doing more than HK$40 million worth of damage and delaying the passing of critical legislation.
Paul Chan Mo-po said on Saturday some residents might not get their tax bills until next year because the Inland Revenue Department’s work was held up. When Legco reconvened it took a relatively long time to pass tax concessions rolled out in August, he said.
Chan said that, to safeguard the government’s income, the department would first issue bills to high-income taxpayers.
“It’s not surprising to see some people getting their tax bills in April. They are just a small number. But that could make the tax income this year reduced by several billion dollars,” he told a radio programme.
About 1.9 million people pay salaries tax in Hong Kong. Most receive their tax bill around September or October, and pay it by as early as the new year.
