No. 18 Initial Budget for Fiscal Year 2013

(Inagi Newsletter April 15, 2013 issue)

The new fiscal year budget was approved at the first Regular Session of the City Council in 2013 and has been in effect since April 1, 2013.
The scale of the General Fund Budget for fiscal year 2013 is 30.89 billion yen, which is a decrease of 1.51 billion yen, or 4.7%, compared to the previous year. The previous year included the land purchase cost for the (tentative name) Minamiyama Elementary School (approximately 2.2 billion yen), so excluding that one-time factor, there is an increase of approximately 680 million yen, or 2.3%.
In addition to increased assistance costs in areas such as Public Assistance and Parenting support, the main factors for the increase are construction-related expenses for the rebuilding of the old building of Inagi Dai 1 Elementary School and the new construction of (tentative name) Minamiyama Elementary School.
In budget formulation, we identified challenges such as maintaining sound finances, continuing support for disaster-affected areas, the city's disaster prevention and mitigation measures, ongoing emergency economic measures, controlling regular expenses, and reviewing beneficiary burdens, with a particular focus on disaster response and environmental measures.
Regarding reconstruction support, this year we will also implement medium- to long-term staff dispatches to Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture and Rikuzentakata City in Iwate Prefecture.
In response to the tight power supply and demand situation, we believe that the most effective contribution the city can make is through energy conservation. We will update all replaceable lighting in facilities such as the City Hall main building and streetlights managed by the city to LED within this fiscal year. Additionally, we will gradually update mercury lamps in parks to LED over the next five years.
Furthermore, we will start a subsidy program for residential energy generation equipment. Specifically, we will provide subsidies for the introduction of equipment such as solar power generation, solar thermal utilization, fuel cells ( EneFarm), and home storage batteries.
Regarding the conservation of biodiversity, we have budgeted expenses for basic research and formulation support aimed at developing a regional strategy. The regional strategy has not yet been formulated by all organizations at the prefectural level, and it seems to be pioneering at the municipal level. We hope to advance this with citizen participation towards formulation within fiscal year 2014.
On the other hand, regarding "Friend Hirao," the renovation work has been completed, and it has reopened for use. On the 4th floor of the facility, the school consultation and developmental support center has begun operations. We will support efforts to alleviate concerns related to development by integrating education and welfare.
Additionally, the appointment of the tourism department head on a fixed-term basis has been decided. This year, we will continue to promote the charm of Inagi City nationwide.