By NITZ ARANCON Correspondent MAYOR Oscar Moreno yesterday assured that city hall would not impose increased taxes in the city next year. Moreno said this to dispel fears that the city council’s approval of city hall’s  P4.5-billion budget for 2017 would mean an inevitable increase in local taxes. There would be no tax increase, and no new taxes to be imposed by the local government next year, assured Moreno. Moreno also assured he would not ask the city council to pass an ordinance in order to increase taxes. But Councilor George Goking, chairman of the city council’s committees on ways and means, and trade and commerce, said that city treasurer Glenn Bañez would need to collect from delinquent taxpayers. Goking said the uncollected taxes have accumulated through the years, and city hall would need to exert efforts to collect these. “Dili man kini matawag nga tax increase kay amo man lang  koliktahon ang uncollected taxes nga wala bayri sa  pipila ka mga businessmen,” he said. Goking said city hall would also need to go strict, and use it taxation powers. “Kon gikinahanglan nga among  i-public auction ang  mga  unpaid real taxes, amo kanang himo-on,” he said. Councilor Lordan Suan has expressed apprehension over city hall’s 2017 annual budget, saying he was worried that the burden would be shouldered by the city’s taxpayers. Suan voted against the approval of the Moreno administration’s P4.5-billion budget last week. Moreno brushed aside Suan’s apprehension. He said, “Wala siya makasabot, pasagdi na lang.” He said city hall’s current revenue sources and efficient collection work would be enough to support the annual budget. “Kaya man, mangambisyon lang ta,” said Moreno. He said 2017 would be a “very busy year” for city hall because of a massive implementation of projects across the city. “Kinahanglan nga  wala nay mga empleyado sa city hall, nga matulog sa pansitan. Na-a man goy  mga ka mga empleyado sa city hall nga wala maanad sa mass project implementation. Pero karon nga approved na ang P4.5-billion budget,  double time gyud ta ani,” Moreno said.