Proposed parking tax proves contentious ahead of SA elections
A South Australian organisation called the Scrap the Tax Coalition will today present a petition calling on the state government to abandon a proposed levy on parking in the Adelaide CBD.
The Weatherill Labor government has proposed a $750 per spot transport development levy, to be imposed from this year or next. According to the state government, the levy is expected to raise $30 million in its first year, with funds going towards improved transport services.
Premier Jay Weatherill last year said the tax will provide an incentive for Adelaide residents to use public transport. The Liberal party has promised to abolish the parking tax should it come into power after the March 15 state election.
The Scrap the Tax Coalition, supported by the Property Council of Australia, has launched a petition entreating South Australians to stand against the tax. The petition reads:
To:
South Australian Government
The proposed Transport Development Levy will be another disincentive to South Australians living, working, shopping and finding entertainment in Adelaide's CBD, with no guarantee of tangible benefits to public transport users or any material impact on CBD congestion.
In the interests of a vibrant CBD I urge you to immediately discontinue efforts to implement the tax.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
The petition had attracted a total of 9,264 votes (5,459 online and 3,796 physical votes) at the time of writing. The Property Council of Australia has also registered its interests ahead of the election in a website, sadecides2014.com.au.
Last year, Weatherill rejected claims made in a study by the Property Council of Australia that the tax would deter people from the city.
"It's a self-serving study, it's been put together by the big end of town and really it's just about them avoiding any contribution to building new public transport infrastructure," he told the ABC in October.
"What the study completely ignores is all of the investments we've made in public transport."