Widening Tax Net

The Presidential Taxation Commission has been given time till the month end to submit their report, a Commission member told this reporter.
Earlier the deadline to submit the report was last month.
Former Director General Customs Sarath Jayathilake in response to a question said that there are proposals to widen the tax base, especially with a focus on getting in professionals such as doctors and lawyers. But that sector has to be handled delicately, with doctors especially threatening to leave the country if they are considered being harassed, he said. There are times when their incomes are high, and there are also times when their income is low, said Jayathilake. So it’s unfair to tax them based on their past earnings, he said. It’s said that Sri Lanka’s personal income tax base is low, comprising only 2% of the total tax base.