The other discussion coming up for the mayors: the calculation of the tax valuation of properties

Chile’s mayors have begun a new debate over how the Internal Revenue Service (SII) calculates property valuations for tax purposes, a discussion that has gained momentum following recent legislative changes. The issue comes amid ongoing discussions around the National Congress's mixed commission working on the sole rejected article of the megareform. While the focus of the megareform has been on compensation for municipalities, specifically the allocation of 1.5 million units of account (UTM), mayors have turned their attention to another critical area: the methodology used by the SII to determine property assessments. This shift in focus began this week with a technical meeting involving municipal associations and the SII itself. The meeting was prompted by a proposal introduced by Senator María José Gatica (RN), which was accepted by both chambers of the legislature and passed its third constitutional stage to become law. The legislation mandates that the SII publish semiannually on its institutional website, in open, downloadable, and reusable formats, the methodology used to calculate the territorial tax, including current valuations, unit price tables, tax rates, and a sample calculation. This marks a significant step toward greater transparency in the valuation process. The SII, led by Director Jorge Trujillo, had already initiated efforts to improve transparency in the past year due to complaints from taxpayers. A new website was developed to provide some level of public access to the valuation methodologies. However, with Gatica’s proposal becoming law, the requirement is now legally binding rather than voluntary. Despite this progress, there is still no formal regulation outlining exactly how the methodology will be made public or what specific details must be included. Minister of Finance Jorge Quiroz has been involved in these discussions, underscoring the importance of the topic. On Monday, representatives from the Association of Chilean Municipalities (AMUCH) joined the SII in a technical session, alongside experts from universities and organizations such as the Chilean Construction Chamber. These stakeholders are examining potential modifications to the valuation formula, aiming to align fiscal values more closely with market prices. However, discrepancies remain in certain cases, highlighting the complexity of the issue. For mayors, the accuracy of property valuations directly affects municipal revenues, as taxes are calculated based on these figures. Greater transparency could lead to increased taxpayer appeals for lower valuations, while others argue that clearer methods might result in higher assessments if key variables are overlooked. The outcome of this debate could significantly influence local budgets and financial planning. Demetrio Benito, an advisor to AMUCH and participant in the technical session, noted that topics such as modeling high-rise building valuations, reviewing factors applied in the calculation model, and defining homogeneous area tracing are central to the discussion. He emphasized that these changes would likely bring positive effects, reducing conflicts between the SII and municipalities, increasing compliance, and expanding the taxable base over time. While temporary negative impacts on some taxpayers might occur, they are expected to be short-lived as the system becomes more accurate and transparent.