charging for signs on private property?

A

Amber

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Jan 24, 2003

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• Feb 17, 2003

• #1

I received a letter last week from city hall stating that all businesses will have to pay a standard fee for signs on their own property ranging from DR$2,000- $4,000. Is this legal?
I can understand that they may want to charge for cruza calles, regardless of their placement, and advertisements posted outside of immediate area of the businesses. But to charge for a sign sitting on top of the actual building? Isn?t that considered to be private property?
I really need to know since a large group of business owners met outside the chamber of commerce to discuss the issue and no one was sure about the legality of the measure taken by city hall, but all said they would not pay it.
Amber

 

E

Eddy

Silver

Jan 1, 2002

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• Feb 17, 2003

• #2

I have a Presidente sign with my business name (Installed free by Presidente) on my property and have had to pay RD$1200.00 per year since it was installed. Also any other signs with your business name on it are subject to $$$. If you can beat it, please let me know.

 

A

Amber

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• Feb 17, 2003

• #3

If I can find a legal basis to do so, I am fighting it.

 

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Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002

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• Feb 17, 2003

• #4

Buena Suerte. Keep me informed.

 

O

ozno

New member

Feb 13, 2003

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• Feb 17, 2003

• #5

heloo
i have sign om ,y stors for 10 years and i pay city hall all this time and yes they have the riet to colect it the only whay they cant make you pay is if your sign is in a mall
thanks ozno

 

A

Amber

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Jan 24, 2003

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• Feb 18, 2003

• #6

So city hall has the legal right to charge a fee for signs posted on private property... Where does it say they have the right to do so? Forgive me, but I am very suspicious of how the law is handled here. There ae things done which have no legal basis. Take the destruction of the rice seeds for instance. Isn't it ilegal for a DEMOCRATIC govt. to dictate which cops to grow? Isn't it unconstitutional to bann a song because it speaks badly about the gvt? So, I want to SEE where this LAW is written before I pay.

 

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Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002

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• Feb 18, 2003

• #7

Amber, I think they are municipal by-laws that differ from each Municipality and are applied to the whim of each. Some town won't bother with it others will. You would have to go to City Hall and ask them to show you the Law. If they don't have one they will probably pass one. LOL

 

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Amber

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• Feb 18, 2003

• #8

Eddy, I hate to admit it, but they would do just that.. But since I know the sindico, the governor and the DA personally, I'm gonna make them show it to me...
Amber

 

F

Fabio J. Guzman

DR1 Expert

Jan 1, 2002

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www.drlawyer.com

• Feb 22, 2003

• #9

Art. 31, Section 60a of Law #3455 of 1952 grants the municipalities the right to establish municipal taxes. Many municipalities levy taxes on signs, without taking into account whether the sign is on private property or public property.

For the complete text of Law #3455, go to:

http://www.iadb.org/rdm/documents/LEY3455.PDF

 

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Eddy

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Jan 1, 2002

3,668

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• Feb 23, 2003

• #10

Nice to have all those contacts but why waste them on a few $$ over a sign. Hopefully your money will be used to improve something within the municipality. At least you can dream that it will.

 

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Golo100

Bronze

Jan 5, 2002

2,138

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• Feb 24, 2003

• #11

Pay up or face the .......

If City Hall got on your case, just pay up or face the consequences. I can tell you that even big time companies like Carrefour had problems with this municipal tax and even beyond that, if Obras Publicas(The Public Works Department) feels your sign does not meet their "safety" criteria, they can take it down, just like they did to Carrefour and other Duarte Highway businesses. And those were BIGGG signs.

TW

 

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Amber

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Jan 24, 2003

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• Feb 24, 2003

• #12

ok. so I got the point. Either I put up a useless fight or I pay an unfair tax. I might as well spend my energies on better things. Thanks, Fabio.

 

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chrisxy

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Jan 23, 2003

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• Mar 6, 2003

• #13

Come on!!!

C'mon Amber

If you have a sign on you r building i suppose it's there for a reason, and i suppose it is for a comercial reason (not only saying "here lives Amber)... so if you're doing whatever comercial activities, you'll have to pay taxes.

What's on with you???? on one hand you do not want that the D.R. is a Banana Republic, but if it comes to taxes or if it comes to parcitipate in getting the Republic out of the "Banana Status" some people just get ... confused??????

I'm still better of paying my taxes here then in germany, and I DO PAY THEM...with a smile

Have fun, all of you

Chris

 

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Amber

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Jan 24, 2003

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• Mar 7, 2003

• #14

Don?t judge so quickly

Chris, I do pay my taxes and I hope some of the money gets used wisely.
About the sign tax, I have no problem paying taxes for signs I set up outside of my properties. I just wasn?t aware about paying for the signs on the properties themselves. City Hall had never bothered to charge for them until now so I was a bit suspicious about it. Mr. Guzman se me straight on that account.
Amber