No.65 Initial Budget for Fiscal Year 2017

Inagi Newsletter April 15, 2017 Edition

This year, the initial budget for the new fiscal year was approved at the first Regular Session of the City Council, so I will provide an overview.
The scale of the General Fund Budget for fiscal year 2017 is 32.14 billion yen, which is a decrease of 2.56 billion yen, or 7.4%, compared to the previous year.
In the previous year, expenses were recorded for large-scale renovation work at the Second Elementary School, construction of a new After-School Childcare Program at the Second Elementary School, large-scale renovation work at the Central Community Center Hall, large-scale renovation work at the First Junior High School, construction of a new Fire Branch Office, and expenses for temporary welfare benefits, among others. The total amount of these one-time factors is approximately 2.84 billion yen, so the budget for fiscal year 2017 is effectively an increase.
In terms of revenue, municipal tax income increased by 1.5% based on the increase in the number of taxpayers and newly constructed houses, reaching the 15 billion yen mark for the first time; however, due to this impact, the local allocation tax decreased by about 400 million yen.
In terms of expenditures, due to the completion of construction and other projects in fiscal year 2016, there was a significant reduction in fire and education expenses. The majority of the welfare expenses, which are social security costs, saw a slight decrease due to the end of temporary welfare benefits, but the proportion of the budget they represent increased from 40% last year to 43% this year.

This year, we are working on the administrative projects of the Fourth Long-Term Comprehensive Plan, promoting the achievement of the goals set forth in the Inagi City Community, People, and Work Creation Comprehensive Strategy, continuing support for the disaster-affected areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Kumamoto Earthquake, and prioritizing the safety of citizens by focusing on disaster prevention and mitigation measures in our budget.
In terms of parenting support, we will expand the number of children accepted at Licensed Childcare Centers and by Family Welfare Workers, negotiate the use of metropolitan land to establish Licensed Childcare Centers based on Tokyo's "Emergency Measures for Resolving the Waiting Child Issue," and implement privatization associated with the construction of a new After-School Childcare Program at the Second Elementary School.
For support related to Older Adults, we will implement measures such as the provision of automatic call recording devices to combat phone scams, a commemorative project for the 10th anniversary of the caregiving volunteer system, and the establishment of an early-stage dementia support team aimed at building a community-based care system.
In education, we will conduct a unique academic ability survey by the city, establish a study group on special needs education, and prepare for land acquisition and detailed design for the relocation and reconstruction of the first school lunch joint cooking facility.
In tourism and exchange, we will establish preparatory committees for the (tentative name) Inagi City Sister City and Friendship City Exchange Association and the (tentative name) Inagi City Tourism Association, aiming for their respective launches.
In terms of community development for safety and security, we will install security cameras in city parks and childcare centers, update four fire pump vehicles for the fire brigade, deploy small unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and improve Wi-Fi at evacuation facilities.
The main construction projects for this year include the renovation of the city hall parking lot, the development of the Friend Hirao complex facility parking lot, the construction of tunnels connecting the Koda-ra district and the Kamihirao district, waterproofing and exterior wall renovation of the Fourth Elementary School, large-scale renovations at the Third Junior High School (including expansion this year), air conditioning renovations in the staff room of Nagamine Elementary School, installation of air conditioning in the library of the Sixth Junior High School, and installation of air conditioning in science rooms from the Second to the Sixth Junior High Schools, totaling approximately 1 billion yen for these projects.
Regarding the i-bus, we have increased the number of services since March 27, 2017, and started operations based on the revised routes of the second phase. This is the result of two years of discussions and considerations in the community public transport meeting with citizen participation, and we express our gratitude once again.
This year, we will continue to advance the development of Inagi City while listening to the opinions of citizens, and we ask for your understanding and cooperation.