PARKING BAY LEVY WILL HIT CONSUMERS HARD

(MY MEDIA VERKLARING WAT VANDAG UITGESTUUR IS)

The DA warned today that the proposed Parking Bay Levy will put further pressure on consumers in Pretoria. This proposed levy will probably be applicable to all commercial and industrial parking areas throughout the whole metro if the municipality gets its way. Only residential parking will be exempt.
The scope can be very wide, indeed to the extent that where businesses provide parking facilities free of charge, such parking bays will be taxed for the account of the business owner who on his part will be forced to recover the costs from his customers in one way or the other.
The proposed Parking Bay Levy is, according to the report that served at today’s monthly Council meeting, a concealed toll tariff to be imposed on the city’s motorists. The row over the Ben Schoeman toll system has barely calmed down and here we are faced with another taxation of which the legality is open to challenge.
“It is all fair and well to encourage people to use public transport and at the same time generate funds to upgrade roads.” said councillor Francois Bekker “What is worrying is the fact that such an alternative toll tariff system is implemented while no significant public transport system exists.” Bekker added.
The DA cannot support the proposed Parking Bay Levy in the absence of an effective and reliable public transport system. “Amidst challenging economic times, high fuel prices and high taxes, an additional Parking Bay Levy will have a negative ripple effect on the economy.” Bekker said.
This is an unfair and insensitive way to generate income for the Tshwane Metro. The DA strongly condemns this type of money making ploy and will strongly oppose it.