Sunday, November 18, 2007 P1B city budget eyed By Rizimaliza Opiña
AMID an earlier appeal of then Acting Mayor Daniel Fariñas on the passage of a "realistic budget," members of the City Council are bent on passing a P1-billion budget for 2008.
In a proposed resolution signed by Acting Vice Mayor Rocky Thomas Balisong and councilors Galo Weygan, Perlita Chan-Rondez, Antonio Tabora Jr., Isabelo Cosalan Jr., Fred Bagbagen, Elaine Sembrano, and Richard Cariño, the group said increasing the budget would provide higher revenue for the city, which in turn could be used to implement projects listed in this administration's medium term development plan.
"An increase in budget is reflective of a progressive city that practices sound fiscal management, efficient collection of taxes and careful identification of additional income generating programs that will spur the city's economy," the councilors stressed.
Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. has submitted an P820-million executive budget for next year but with the more than P1-B savings of the city government, the Council is aggressively pushing for a billion budget.
But Fariñas expressed apprehension that the city might be hard-up in producing the billion budget.
Balisong, however, said the budget could be attained by imposing a sound financial management and efficient collection system.
Among the sources where the Council pins its hopes in achieving the P1-B budget are the income from the operation of the Asin hydro power plants, Asin hotspring, Rillera building, Slaughterhouse terminal parking, improved collection of business and real estate taxes, data mining, improved market and garbage fees collection, and shares from the Baguio Export Processing Zone, Camp John Hay and the e-VAT.
