'City should improve services'

'City should improve services'

The city administration announced earlier this month it was
raising the annual vehicle tax from 1 percent to 1.5 percent of a
vehicle's market price. There are currently some 3.8 million cars
and motorcycles registered in Jakarta, and vehicle taxes
represent about 80 percent of the city's total tax revenue. Some
city residents shared their objections to the increase with The
Jakarta Post.

Acep, 28, has worked as a motorcycle taxi (ojek) driver in
Cawang, East Jakarta, for 10 years. He lives in Cawang with his
wife and son:

If the city administration increases the annual vehicle tax, I
think it will burden poor people like me.

It will influence the lives of the poor. I don't own a
motorcycle. I rent one for Rp 20,000 a day. With the tax hike, I
guess the owner is likely to increase the rental fee. And I am
already finding it hard to make money, particularly during the
fasting month with fewer passengers.

I have to work all day in the heat and rain just to get Rp
30,000 if I'm lucky.

Sometimes I regret that I spent all those years in school and
now I just work as an ojek driver.

Why is it the poor who always suffer because of government
policies? We deserve prosperity, but we never get it.

Warsidi, 27, works for a cleaning service at the Kalibata
shopping mall in South Jakarta. He lives in Mampang, South
Jakarta, with his wife and daughter:

The tax increase will make the lives of the poor even harder.

Taxes always make it harder for the poor to survive. I'm not
happy about always paying taxes but never seeing the situation
get any better.

My daily income is only Rp 14,000. You can figure out how much
I make in a month. Do you think it's enough for me and my family
to live on in the current economic situation?

I don't have a motorcycle, but I worry the government will
increase all taxes. And I'm afraid public transportation fares
will be increased too.

It's not impossible that I won't be able to afford to send my
daughter to school because the taxes I have to pay are more than
my income.

On the other hand, in return for the taxes the city government
doesn't seem to provide any services for the people.

I think it's unfair that the city administration always
victimizes poor people like me. Our lives are getting harder and
harder by the day.

Festarini, 30, a housewife who lives with her husband and
daughter in Halim, East Jakarta:

I don't have any reason to disagree with the increased vehicle
tax.

Despite the burden, we have to comply with the policy. City
residents who have vehicles are deemed to be well-off. So, paying
a bit more in taxes is one of the consequences of having a car.

Besides, motorcycles are no longer considered luxury goods.
Everyone can afford them now. If they are able to afford it, they
should be ready to pay their taxes regardless of the amount.

But in my opinion, in return the city government should
provide better public services, such as health care for poor
children, and improve the infrastructure. I have seen, for
example, that the city administration has been repairing damaged
roads in the city.

I think whether or not the taxes are used for the benefit of
the public depends on how the residents see the problems here.

But I hope land, property and income taxes don't increase
because that would burden everyone.