Two draft bills to be introduced<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Proposals for bills on new parking fees and
\ncongestion pricing are to be introduced in the near future,
\naccording to the chairman of the commission in charge of city
\nrevenue.<\/p>\n
Helmy AR Syihab said yesterday that the two drafts should be
\nsubmitted to the City Council by early next year.<\/p>\n
\"So we hope that by next year all these new bills will be
\neffective,\" Helmy said, referring to four recently passed bills,
\ntwo under discussion and the expected regulations on parking and
\ncongestion pricing.<\/p>\n
The two drafts discussed by executives yesterday were on
\nincreasing the price of city-issued labels, necessary for request
\nforms to obtain block plans from the city planning agency, and
\npossible fee increases of various city services.<\/p>\n
The four bills passed are on the increased annual foreigners
\ntax; taxing consumers using electricity generators; the
\nentertainment tax; and the control of alcohol distribution
\nthrough raising distributors' license fees.<\/p>\n
However both Helmy and Governor Surjadi Soedirdja have denied
\nthat the content and speed of processing the new bills are
\nmotivated by demands made by the project management unit of the
\ncity's proposed subway (MRT).<\/p>\n
A possible link between the new bills and the project was
\nraised because the council has never previously processed four
\nbills in one month. Also, proposals to raise revenues were
\nrevealed in an April seminar on funding the MRT, contain
\nsimilarities to the new bills and drafts.<\/p>\n
Construction of the US$1.5 billion Mass Rapid Transit project
\nfrom Blok M, South Jakarta, to Kota in West Jakarta, is scheduled
\nto begin next year.<\/p>\n
Slamet Soelarno, a MRT executive, suggested in the seminar
\nthat raising public funds would be part of efforts to meet the
\nrequired $25 million a year for the city's equity in the project,
\nand to pay back loans of around $35 million a year for 25 years.<\/p>\n
The proposals to raise money from the public are re-activating
\nlapsed city rules on taxes, increasing existing taxes and fees,
\nand drawing fees or taxes on services which have never been
\nsubjected to such payments.<\/p>\n
Congestion pricing before and during construction of the MRT
\nwas also suggested as one of the new ways to generate income.<\/p>\n
Tb. M. Rais, the Deputy Governor for Development Affairs, has
\nacknowledged that congestion pricing during the rush hour on
\nheavily used roads will be one of the main components of public
\nfunding for the MRT.<\/p>\n
Another high-ranking source who requested anonymity said that
\nalthough the new bills need not be related to the MRT project,
\n\"the proposals from (the management unit) are among those that
\nwere taken into account in the drafting.<\/p>\n
\"It is natural that residents should contribute to the project
\nwhich will reduce their traffic stress,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Helmy stressed the bills have been discussed for some time by
\ncouncilors and executives.<\/p>\n
\"As the public has begun to benefit from development progress,
\nmore revenue is needed to fund maintenance of various
\nachievements,\" Helmy said. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-draft-bills-to-be-introduced-1447893297",
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