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Tax authorities around the world are using satellite
images generated by a free program to re-evaluate home values and track down fraud, according to Santiago Montoya,
Undersecretary of Public Revenues for Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Montoya is no novice at using high tech tools to
uncover fraud. In 2005, he unearthed a novel
computer system through which about 250,000 Argentines, politicians
among them, used credit cards held at banks registered in other countries to
avoid sales tax. Montoya now says his office is turning to satellite
images to wage "a real war" on fiscal deficits, and has
already taken several steps to reduce what he calls widespread real estate tax fraud in
Argentina.
Google Earth™
is a free virtual globe program, which integrates detailed
satellite images and aerial photos together with maps so that users can view
specific homes, businesses and buildings in incredible detail.
"Images of properties from the sky help square the actual size of properties
with that declared by taxpayers to make sure the proper amount of taxes are
being paid," Montoya says.
Government officials use the free program to access satellite images of land and
property and zoom-in on undervalued real estate. This is especially important
when wealthy individuals live in gated communities where tax officials have
not had access. The program is used to peak into back yards and
check if taxpayers have expanded their homes in ways that would increase
property values for taxation.
The resolution and clarity of the quality images provided by the free
program is startling. Most areas are covered by satellite imagery with a
resolution of about 15 m per pixel. Population centers are often covered by
aircraft imagery with much higher resolution and even 3D views.
The program comes with an address search and a business search feature. Both
have boxes where you can either a specific address or a more general search
tem like “downtown Dallas" or ‘pizza in Clovis New Mexico” so users can
quickly find anything they are looking for -- anywhere on earth.
Satellite and aerial images this clear were previously available only to
agents of the superpowers or investigators subscribing to expensive
programs. Now officials like Montoya as well as citizens all over the world
can easily access incredibly detailed photos of any location on the planet
for free.
To learn more about Google
Earth™, please
see:
Google Earth provides bird's
eye view of Israeli reactor
Using Google Earth for Hike Planning
Use Google Earth and GPS To Find
Your Destination
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