Anies Responds to General View of DPRD Faction Over Draft Bylaw on Levy

We try to respond and answer all faction's general views completely and thoroughly

The Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, gave an answer to the general view of all DPRD factions related to the draft bylaw on the second amendment to bylaw number 3/2012 on regional levy. Its answer was conveyed in a plenary meeting with Jakarta DPRD in the City Council building, on Wednesday (3/11).

"We try to respond and answer all faction's general views completely and thoroughly. Due to the many questions, appreciation, support, suggestions and comments, I convey answers that are strategic. As for technical materials, it needs further clarification, so we hope it can be discussed in the council's legislation body (Bapemperda) meeting," he expressed, starting his speech, as quoted from Jakarta PPID's press release.

DPRD Receives Proposal Regarding Regional Levies Regulation Revision

He responded to the response of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) Faction, which proposed the need to consider changes in tariffs and parking charges mechanism to optimize revenue from on-street parking, as well as options to optimize revenue and parking fees, that parking charges on the street in the future will be developed electronically through electronic parking terminal (TPE) and cashless payment via an application.

He explained the benefits of the new policy were to facilitate the application of high tariffs in a bid to control traffic and reduce the impact of leakage.

"Collecting money in parking management is in the service tariff scheme, as the parking management unit is a BLUD and not a levy according to Gubernatorial Regulation number 916/2013. Current parking revenue management by electronically collecting, among others, through TPE machines and cashless payments by app," he said.

He expressed his appreciation for the suggestion of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on trajectory permit and terminal levies, as well as motorized vehicle testing levies specifically for public transport to be charged a zero rupiah tariff, to encourage people ride low-cost public transport. He asserted, it would be an attention matter and would be discussed with the council.

"Answering the Nasdem Party Faction's question regarding the abolition of service fees for slaughterhouse businesses, slaughterhouse levy income provides regional retribution income of more than Rp 17 billion last year, while for slaughterhouse levies, the levy income is abolished. To guarantee the fulfillment of good meat, the Maritime, Agriculture and Food Security Agency places officers in each slaughterhouse, to do post mortem and ante-mortem examinations of animals that will be slaughtered and will be charged under service rates of the BLUD for animal health and livestock services based on Gubernatorial Regulation number 64/2017," he explained.

He also answered another question related with wastewater treatment fees, that the achievement of the 2019 Environmental Agency Retribution does not include levy for desludging or septic tanks and provision of wastewater treatment.

He emphasized that the levy came from waste services and laboratory testing services. As for now, the revenue from septic tank retribution and provision of wastewater treatment has been transferred to PD PAL Jaya.

"Answering a question on the tariff on Sanitary Service in terms of residential waste transportation, we say the Environment Agency has made changes to the rates in bylaw number 1/2015 by taking into account the increasing costs of garbage collection, transportation costs, eradicating or processing waste costs, final disposal site procurement costs, operational and maintenance costs, community capacity and justice aspects," he explained.

He also said that the proposed amendment to building levy tariffs for the TIM's Jakarta Art Center building in a bid to reduce price disparities with the private sector, which has higher building rental prices. As for the low building levy causes the frequency of use of buildings in its development many that have nothing to conduct with Arts or Culture.

"For artists and art activities, a special mechanism will be made in accordance with the recommendations of the Jakarta Arts Council. There is also person responsible for managing the TIM's Jakarta Art Center will be divided into two where content and programs are the responsibility of the Culture Office and the Jakarta Arts Council, while infrastructure management is the responsibility of PT Jakarta Propertindo," he told.

In addition, he also answered questions about the museum levy raised from the Democratic Party Faction and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Faction. He uttered, free service to the museum for students or those who have KJP has been set in the Gubernatorial Regulation number 7/2017.

"Responding on PSI's question about the levies of Regional Business Production Sales to Industry which includes the use of clean water and electricity, collected by PD PAM JAYA and PT PLN. Then for PT PLN has not facilitated electricity utilization on Sabira Island thus the city facilitates electricity supply by charging the equivalent kWh unit tariff charged by PT PLN. It aims to make citizens use electricity wisely," he explained.

He also appreciated the Democratic Party's approval related to the levy for education and training services that will be adjusted. Levy for education and training services especially for education and training activities was based on the unit cost of the Development Agency, that is LAN Head's regulation number 2/2018 on Diklatpim III and IV, as well as Basic Diklat for Class I, II and III. Whereas for the levies on the use of education and training facilities, it has referred to the cost units of several Ministries/Institutions/Comparative Institutions such as PPSDM's Transportation Ministry, Ciawi PPMKP's Agriculture Ministry and Diklat for State Secretariat Ministry.

"This is the general answer to the factions' general view towards the draft bylaw on the second amendment to bylaw number 3/2012 concerning regional levy. Hopefully these answers can help to smoothen the next discussion thus its draft can be approved and set into a bylaw in accordance with a predetermined schedule through the Deliberation Board," he closed.