Parking lot operators fail to pay levy

JAKARTA (JP): Operators of small parking areas in Jakarta are far more disciplined in fulfilling their duty to pay a 20-percent municipal levy than operators of larger parking areas.

The head of the municipal parking authority, Sumaryono, said yesterday that buildings and recreational areas which have large parking lots are more reluctant to meet their obligations.

Under the existing law all parking areas that charge their users must give 20 percent of their earnings to the municipal authority.

Sumaryono said that the big parking areas, such as the Ancol recreation center in North Jakarta, Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta and about 160 operators of large parking lots under the city- owned market company, PD Pasar Jaya, continue to ignore the levy.

He further revealed, that of the 300 parking locations in the city, as many as 108 have not paid the municipal levy.

According to Sumaryono, the parking authority receives between Rp 30,000 (US$14) to Rp 26.5 million from a single space each month.

Speaking on the future of parking garages, Sumaryono believes that traffic conditions in Jakarta will dictate the necessity to reduce parking on the streets and the need for more parking garages.

Last year the city administration received Rp 9.3 billion in parking levies.

Sumaryono expressed his confidence that the parking authority could meet its 1994/1995 revenue target of Rp 14.4 billion.

"I'm sure we can achieve the target set by the city administration as long as the new parking fee of Rp 500 has been implemented," he said as quoted by Antara.

Thus far, the City Council has not given its approval to increase public parking fees from Rp 300 to Rp 500.(mds)