No.30 Initial Budget for Fiscal Year 2014

(Inagi Newsletter, April 15, 2014 issue)

This year, the initial budget for the new fiscal year was approved at the March city council Regular Session and has been in effect since the 1st of this month.
The scale of the General Fund Budget for fiscal year 2014 is 36.25 billion yen, an increase of 5.36 billion yen or 17.3% compared to the previous year, making it the largest budget in history.
This year, we will implement large-scale projects such as approximately 3.45 billion yen for the construction costs of rebuilding the old building of Inagi First Elementary School, the expansion of Inagi Seventh Elementary School, the new construction of (tentative name) Minamiyama Elementary School, and the large-scale renovation of Inagi First Junior High School. Additionally, approximately 440 million yen will be allocated for subsidies for the rebuilding of the Second Nursery School and the new construction of a nursery school within the Nagamine East District redevelopment area, and about 220 million yen for contributions towards the construction of a memorial hall in the Inagi-Fuchu Cemetery Association. Approximately 510 million yen will be allocated for the construction costs of the (tentative name) Nagamine Sports Facility with a multi-purpose plaza.
Furthermore, due to the increase in the consumption tax rate, there are special circumstances such as approximately 350 million yen for the provision of temporary welfare benefits and temporary special benefits for parenting households, resulting in this large budget.
In addition, as necessary ongoing expenses, there has been a significant increase in assistance costs in the fields of disability care benefits and Public Assistance.
In preparing this budget, as I conclude my fourth year in office, I have set the challenges of maintaining sound finances, continuing support for disaster-affected areas, enhancing the city's disaster prevention and mitigation measures, controlling ongoing expenses, and reviewing the burden on beneficiaries.
Particularly, I have placed emphasis on steadily promoting the facility development outlined in the Long-Term Comprehensive Plan. Due to the overlap of investment projects, a very large amount of expenses is required, but I have prepared the budget while appropriately utilizing funds (savings) and municipal bonds (long-term borrowing).
Regarding reconstruction support, we will continue to dispatch staff to Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture this fiscal year.
For disaster prevention and mitigation measures, we will introduce national funds to expand the subsidy amount for the seismic retrofitting of wooden houses.

On the other hand, the city's unique emergency economic measures implemented since fiscal year 2009 will be reviewed while considering the recent trend of economic recovery, and some necessary measures will be made permanent.
In the field of parenting support, we will make significant reforms regarding after-school measures for elementary school students, alongside resolving the issue of waiting children in nursery schools. Although expanding the After-School Childcare Program, which requires dedicated facilities, has been physically challenging, we aim to accept all applicants in principle by incorporating the After-School Children's Program, which implements more relaxed supervision. We will conduct a trial at eight elementary schools in fiscal year 2014, assess the demand for use, and aim for implementation in all schools in fiscal year 2015. Additionally, we will continue the traditional After-School Childcare Program after reviewing some of the admission criteria.
This fiscal year, we will continue our efforts towards a vibrant community development in Inagi, and we ask for the understanding and cooperation of all citizens.