Government

Senators Push Back After Financial Team Says Tax Amnesties Slow Government Collections

A debate over tax amnesties exposed differing views between government financial officials and senators on Monday, as the Committee on Budget, Appropriations, and Finance reviewed the territory’s fiscal outlook for 2027. The exchange began during the broader FY2027 budget overview, after Julio Rhymer, director of the Office of Management and Budget, told Senator Novelle Francis, the Committee’s chair, that FY2026 real property tax projections have not materialized to date. Mr. Rhymer said the gap is approximately $5 million. “We really need to go back out and reassess these properties,” he said. He added that “we need to basically now really be aggressive in terms of collections going forward.” The OMB director said one challenge arises when the government prepares to auction delinquent properties and “people come and do a payment plan.” He then pointed to tax amnesties as another factor affecting collections. “That really slows down collection, and that's where the challenge somet...