Kotabaru Legislators Carry Out Comparative Study in Surabaya

Kotabaru, S Kalimantan (Antara) -- Several legislators of South Kalimantan's Kotabaru district are conducting a comparative study in Surabaya city in East Java to identify ways to draft bylaws on regional levies and fire control.

Surabaya, which is the capital of East Java province, is known as a service city as it relies on services as its main source of income, Chief of Special Committee III of the Kotabaru Legislative Council Suji Hendra said on the sidelines of a visit to the Surabaya city government on Monday.

"As a service city, Surabaya has a lot of experience in managing regional levies professionally and optimally. That is one of the reasons why special committee III is conducting a comparative study here," he explained.

Nearly all regional working units (SKPD) in Surabaya have a legal instrument to collect regional taxes, he added.

Citing an example, the politician of the National Mandate Party stated that the transportation office collected motor vehicle tax in accordance with a bylaw.

Based on inputs from the comparative study, Hendra pointed out that the committee will soon hold an internal meeting, for which all SKPDs and relevant parties will be invited to draft bylaws.

"All parties will be involved in discussing the draft bylaw on regional levies due to two factors---to find ways to increase regional income by issuing a bylaw as well as to ensure that it does not burden the public," he remarked. (*)