Tax revenue sees downturn in 50 provinces

Revenue from taxes fell in 50 provinces in the first five months of 2009 over the same period a year ago, whereas the remaining 31 provinces saw an increase, for which the contraction of economic performance amid the global economic meltdown played an integral role.

Kocaeli, Turkey's industrial heartland, suffered the heaviest tax revenue loss. According to the latest figures released by the Revenues Administration (GİB), in the January-May period of this year, Ankara was able to log the highest jump in taxes collected, increasing its revenue by TL 396.4 million.

The tax offices in Turkey's capital city managed to collect TL 8.77 billion of taxpayer money in the first five months. Other provinces that saw an increase include Adana, Amasya, Artvin, Batman, Diyarbakır, Düzce, Giresun, Hatay, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Malatya, Osmaniye, Siirt, Sinop, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak, Tunceli, Van and Yozgat. These provinces, however, don't figure prominently in the country's tax revenues.

Influential provinces with the ability to determine overall tax performance far underperformed compared to the previous year, with the sole exception of Ankara. Kocaeli posted TL 1.67 billion less in collection in the given period of this year. Its revenue dropped to TL 8.19 billion in 2009 from TL 9.86 billion a year ago.

İstanbul, which sent TL 30.2 billion to the Treasury's coffers in the first five months of the previous year, was able to collect TL 29.37 billion this year, marking a TL 827.6 billion drop in revenue. It was followed by İzmir, which posted a TL 646.7 million slide in tax collection in the January-May period of this year to total TL 6.51 billion. It took in TL 7.2 billion from taxpayers last year.

Bursa, another heavyweight in the national economy, recorded TL 1.4 billion this year, down from TL 1.82 a year ago, a loss of TL 378.5 million.