City to ever record new budget surplus
City to ever record new budget surplus
JAKARTA (JP): The city administration expects to achieve a Rp
400 billion (US$42,100) surplus in the nine-month budget period,
ending this month, due to a remarkable increase in its overall
earnings, City Revenue Agency head Deden Supriyadi said on
Wednesday.
Most of the surplus, so far, is derived from a variety of
taxes, particularly the vehicle tax which has shown a significant
increase during the period.
"Jakartans appear very eager to pay the vehicle tax," Deden
told journalists.
Until Nov. 20, the agency has managed to collect earnings four
percent higher than the revised target of Rp 4.05 trillion, he
added.
"We've calculated that by Dec. 20, when we have to close all
accounts of the budget, we will have accumulated Rp 4.4 trillion
of revenues within the last nine month period of the 2000 fiscal
year," he explained.
The target for the entire city's revenue was initially set at
Rp 3.38 trillion. It was later put at Rp 4.05 trillion after the
city administration revealed an "unexpected" surplus of Rp 669.7
billion. The finding was urgently brought to the city council
seeking approval to update the budget projection.
According to Deden, the outstanding hike in this year's city
revenues is mainly expected from the vehicle tax and fees
collected for the transfer of vehicle ownership.
Under the current revised budget, revenue collected from the
vehicle tax had already been set at Rp 35.88 billion, or 10
percent higher than the previous target. Meanwhile, the fees
collected for vehicle ownership transfers was set at Rp 290.69
billion, which is almost double the previous figure.
By the end of the fiscal year, the administration has found
that the financial contribution from these two sectors has grown
slightly higher again, Deden said.
This wonderful surplus projection, he added, showed promising
signs of the economic recovery in the capital, which has been
badly hit since 1998 by the economic crisis.
The 2000 city budget, set slightly lower than the previous
year, was initially forecast in a pessimistic mood due to the
country's economic uncertainties, Deden explained.
He further commented that the expected surplus in city
revenues has provided strong confidence in the city
administration to reach the 2001 draft budget targets, which
forecasts Rp 7.49 trillion in revenues.
"We will, for example, continue our campaign efforts to
increase people's awareness of the taxes. Moreover, we would like
to receive feedback from people if our regulations or officers
burden them," Deden said.
"We do not want the peoples' enthusiasm for paying taxes to be
hampered by the poor attitude or services of our officers," he
added. (dja)