What happened
Buleleng regency in north Bali is behind on collecting its own revenue. PAD (pendapatan asli daerah, the local taxes and fees a regency raises itself) stood at 63.33% of the annual plan at the end of September 2026. The full-year plan is above Rp 823 billion.
On Wednesday, 7 October, Regent Nyoman Sutjidra chaired a third-quarter review at his office. He told the agencies in charge of income to collect faster.
The quarterly numbers
The plan called for 75% of the yearly sum, or more than Rp 617 billion, by the close of the third quarter. Actual receipts through September were just over Rp 521 billion.
That leaves a shortfall of roughly Rp 96 billion. It is more than a tenth of the annual plan, and three months of the year remain. Attending the meeting were Deputy Regent Gede Supriatna, Regional Secretary Gede Suyasa, general administration assistant Gede Sugiartha Widiada and the heads of the revenue and fee agencies.
Where collections lag
Regional Secretary Gede Suyasa listed the items running below plan. They include paid health services, the municipal abattoir, waste handling, parking and the rental of business spaces in tourist areas.
The Busungbiu II community health centre reached 56.82% of its target. Officials link this to low numbers of general fee-paying patients compared with patients covered by BPJS, the state health insurance. Abattoir fees for January to July came to 59.01% of plan.
Landfill fees at the Bengkala disposal site reached 54.27%, or over Rp 1.8 billion. The reason is a success story of sorts: less rubbish now arrives because villages sort waste at source and run their own waste banks.
Street parking is the weakest line. Only Rp 2.5 billion and change has been collected against a Rp 7.5 billion goal, a rate of 34.55%. In tourism, kiosks and trading spots at the Old Harbour pier and Penimbangan Beach remain underused, so potential income goes uncollected.
What officials said
"If any regulation still needs completing, just coordinate on it so the potential can be maximised," Sutjidra told the meeting. He asked every agency to step up collection efforts, try new approaches and review the rules where they hold income back.
Suyasa ordered each fee-collecting agency to report its revenue figures directly and keep them current. The aim is to spot obstacles early and act on them quickly.
What it means for residents and business
Most lagging items are paid public services rather than business taxes. Yet the regent's order covers every agency that collects money, including fees tied to tourist areas.
The landfill case shows that a drop in fees is not always a sign of poor performance. Less waste reaches the landfill thanks to sorting in the villages, and the disposal charge has fallen with it.
For tourism operators, the note about kiosks at the pier and the beach matters. Officials say these spaces are underused, so the regency misses out on income.
Why it matters
Buleleng is the largest regency in Bali by area. It covers Lovina, Singaraja and a northern coastline that tourism has touched far less than the south.
Own-source revenue pays for local roads, waste collection, clinics and public spaces. When it falls short, local governments usually tighten enforcement of the taxes and fees already on the books. The regent has explicitly ordered a review of the regulations needed to raise revenue.