BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia targets the city budget for next year at P1.2 billion, representing an increase of P80 million compare to the current year's budget of P1.120 billion.
In line with this objective, he recently tasked Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairman of the City Council Committee on Finance, to attend the seminar conducted by the Department of Budget and Management to learn more about budgetary matters, which the city might benefit from.
Leonardia hopes the city can raise additional revenue by instituting amendments to the existing revenue code for the city to raise the revenue needed for the increase in next year's budget.
He said that he hopes the city officials can start consulting the business community regarding the increase in the revenues of Bacolod with the re-passage of the revised Revenue Code of Bacolod.
It is necessary to have a new revenue code, considering that the old code is already 17 years old, Leonardia said.
He added there are items under the old code where even the rates of Candoni, a third class municipality, are higher than the rates of Bacolod City.
He is optimistic that the business sector will not oppose the proposal if this will be presented to them properly and reasonably. (Carla N. Cañet)