No.58 Activities of various councils towards next year budget formulation

Although the lingering summer heat continues, as I write this in late August 2016, it is time to start formulating the next year's budget.
When preparing a budget proposal, we formulate a ``budget formulation policy'' around the end of August every year, communicate it to each department, and instruct them to estimate the budget in accordance with this policy. We are striving to reduce expenditures with the aim of maximizing effectiveness with minimal costs, but since the city's entire budget cannot be covered by its own sources such as city taxes, we are considering introducing subsidies from the national government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. We are also working to secure revenue.
Regarding compulsory expenses related to education and welfare, subsidies from the national and metropolitan governments are often determined by rules, but it is important to make firm requests for investment expenses related to roads and river maintenance, etc. will become necessary.
In particular, for requests that are difficult to implement alone, we cooperate and collaborate with neighboring cities and related organizations to set up organizations such as councils and carry out request activities. The outline of the councils, etc. that I participate in is as follows.
　
“Tokyo City Mayors Association”
It is made up of 26 cities in the Tama area with the aim of promoting communication and cooperation between each city, smooth administration of city administration, and deepening mutual exchange.
“Tokyo River Improvement Promotion Federation”
It is made up of 14 wards, 21 cities, 2 towns, and 1 village in Tokyo that are related to rivers managed by the Tokyo metropolitan area for the purpose of preventing disasters caused by river flooding.
"Tama River Improvement Promotion Council"
It is made up of 14 cities in 2 wards of Tokyo and Kawasaki City for the purpose of flood control and flood prevention of the Tama River.
“Tokyo Land Readjustment Project Promotion Federation”
It is made up of 11 wards, 25 cities, and 2 towns in Tokyo, which are undergoing land readjustment projects with the aim of promoting safe and comfortable urban development.
“Road Development Promotion Alliance Tokyo Metropolitan Council”
It is made up of Tokyo and all municipalities (26 cities, 5 towns, 8 villages) with the purpose of promoting road maintenance in the Tama Island region.
“Minamitama New Town Council”
It is made up of the five Minamitama cities for the purpose of discussing and considering various issues surrounding the Tama New Town development area and surrounding areas, and making requests to the national and metropolitan governments.
"Tama River Bridge and Related Road Development Promotion Council"
It is made up of eight cities in the midstream region of the Tama River with the purpose of promoting the widening, new construction, and replacement of bridges spanning the midstream region of the Tama River.
"Tokyo Continuous Overpass Project Promotion Council"
The organization is comprised of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 9 cities in 11 wards, and 8 railway operators, with the aim of promoting continuous railway grade separation projects in Tokyo.
“Tama Regional Urban Monorail Construction Promotion Council”
It is made up of 23 cities, 3 towns, and 1 village along the route, with the aim of early commercialization of the planned route.
　
Every year, we submit petitions through various channels to the government, the Diet, the relevant ministries and agencies, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government departments.
Among these steady efforts, we have achieved great results, especially regarding the Tamagawa Bridge. When this council was founded in 1981, there were only 5 bridges and 12 lanes in the middle reaches of the Tama River, but this has now been expanded to 9 bridges and 34 lanes. During this time, Inagi City had a new Inagi Ohashi Bridge built, and the Tamagawara Bridge and Koremasa Bridge were each widened from two lanes to four lanes and then replaced, eliminating the chronic heavy traffic jams that existed in the past.
We are grateful for the efforts of our predecessors who have been involved in the steady activities of these councils, and we will continue our efforts to carry on these efforts and further develop the Tama region.