{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1493119,
        "msgid": "bigger-budgets-allocated-to-improve-public-services-1447893297",
        "date": "2004-08-14 00:00:00",
        "title": "Bigger budgets allocated to improve public services",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Bigger budgets allocated to improve public services Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta Taxpayers should expect better service from public officials when gathering taxes and levies as their departments' operational budgets are set to increase. The move, in the form of a draft bylaw on tax revenue allocation approved by the City Council on Friday, would improve efficiency and stop the imposition of illegal tariffs by unscrupulous officials, councillors said.",
        "content": "<p>Bigger budgets allocated to improve public services<\/p>\n<p>Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n<p>Taxpayers should expect better service from public officials when<br>\ngathering taxes and levies as their departments' operational<br>\nbudgets are set to increase.<\/p>\n<p>The move, in the form of a draft bylaw on tax revenue<br>\nallocation approved by the City Council on Friday, would improve<br>\nefficiency and stop the imposition of illegal tariffs by<br>\nunscrupulous officials, councillors said.<\/p>\n<p>Starting in 2005, operational budgets for revenue gathering<br>\nagencies would increase to about Rp 200 billion (US$21.74<br>\nmillion) from last year's Rp 6.69 billion.<\/p>\n<p>The extra funds would set operational costs at about 5 percent<br>\nof total tax revenue. Last year's operational costs made up only<br>\n0.16 percent of the Rp 4.15 trillion in revenue gathered.<\/p>\n<p>The draft was approved by all factions of the City Council.<\/p>\n<p>\"This big increase will encourage officials to improve their<br>\nperformance. Their improved performance will in turn increase tax<br>\nrevenues, which, in the end will also increase the officials'<br>\noperational budgets,\" councillor Setia Budi of the Indonesian<br>\nDemocratic Party of Struggle said.<\/p>\n<p>Councillor Saman Husni of the Crescent Star Party faction said<br>\nthe bigger budgets would minimize the levying of illegal fees by<br>\nunscrupulous officials.<\/p>\n<p>\"With such a significant incentive, there should be no more<br>\nillegal fees... (However) the City Audit Agency must provide<br>\ntighter supervision of institutions involved in the imposition of<br>\ntaxes and levies,\" he said.<\/p>\n<p>The draft bylaw stipulates that 70 percent of the revenue from<br>\nvehicle taxes and transfer of vehicle ownership levies would be<br>\nsplit among the city revenue and transportation agencies and<br>\nstate insurance company PT Jasa Raharja. The remaining 30 percent<br>\nwill go to other supporting institutions, including the city<br>\npolice and the central government.<\/p>\n<p>The draft allocates 80 percent of revenue from fuel taxes for<br>\nmotorized vehicles to state oil and gas firm Pertamina and the<br>\nrevenue agency. The remaining 20 percent will go into central<br>\ngovernment coffers.<\/p>\n<p>Ninety four percent of revenue gathered for the provision of<br>\nstreet lighting will go to state electricity company PT PLN,<br>\nwhile the other 6 percent will go to the government.<\/p>\n<p>Other taxes, including those on groundwater, advertising, and<br>\non the operation of hotels, restaurants and entertainment<br>\ncenters, are to be further regularized in other gubernatorial<br>\ndecrees.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bigger-budgets-allocated-to-improve-public-services-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}