There is undoubtedly room for improved fiscal and financial management in local
authorities as well as improved co-ordination between the different levels of
government. A recent report to the Government suggests measures to improve
capacity building for revenue mobilisation and collection (Price Waterhouse,
1998). However, attempts to squeeze additional revenues from poorly designed
taxes may exacerbate the negative effects of the tax system on the economy and
the society in general. Clearly, improved tax administration cannot compensate
for bad tax design. Thus, reforming the tax structure should precede the reform of
tax administration since there is not much merit in making a bad tax system work
somewhat better.
In redesigning the tax structure, the following options should be considered:
(1) abolition of unsatisfactory local taxes;
(2) improvements to remaining revenue bases; and
(3) cost recovery through user charges.
Abolition of unsatisfactory local taxes
Given the poor performance of many local taxes, any reform programme should
include the abolition of a large number of these taxes. In particular, the head tax
‘development levy’ should be abolished. This is a tax that we have found costly to
enforce. The levy is extremely unpopular among taxpayers and tax resistance is
widespread.