Leading business groups wrote to finance secretary Derek Mackay as early as October 2016 spelling out the damaging impact the revaluation would have on hotels, pubs and businesses in Scotland.
The British Hospitality Association said it would have a “severe impact” and “likely lead to an increase in rateable values, and rates payable, by hotels of between 30 and 50 per cent”.
And in November, the Scottish Retail Consortium warned a Holyrood committee: “It will be very difficult to absorb some of the potential costs.”
Cosla even offered to help the Scottish Government do some modelling work on the rates rise, an offer it said “has not been taken up”.
However, the SNP's response was to insist the revaluation had nothing to do with the Scottish Government - and is still refusing to act in order to help.
The Scottish Conservatives are today repeating their call for Mr Mackay to make a statement to Holyrood next week, and to order an immediate review of the revaluation before it comes into effect.
The party has also slammed Mr Mackay's comments in the press this morning, when he insisted it was for councils, not central government, to respond.
Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary Murdo Fraser said:
“Business groups were warning about the impact of this revaluation last year.
“Yet, from the very start, the SNP's response has been to pass the buck and insist it is nothing to do with them.
“It is a complete abdication of responsibility.
“Once again, we see a Scottish Government so obsessed with its campaign for independence that it has fallen asleep at the wheel on the issues that actually matter to people.
“Derek Mackay this morning has once again washed his hands of the matter and declared that it is for councils to act.
“This is from the man who has an extra £500m to spend next year, and who found nearly £200m down the back of the sofa two weeks ago in order to do a deal with the Greens.
“Mr Mackay should come before parliament to set out a clear statement that he will review this revaluation process before it is too late for firms which face going to the wall.
“Anything else will show that this SNP government has lost touch entirely with a crisis it knew was coming - but ignored.”