Suwon to Allocate 2.8773 Trillion Won Budget for Next Year

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Joon-seong] Suwon City has compiled a "2022 Budget Plan" worth 2.8773 trillion won and submitted it to the Suwon City Council on the 15th. The budget plan for next year is expected to be finalized following deliberation and approval by the city council on the 16th of next month.

The general account compiled shows an increase of 216.3 billion won (9.18%) from the previous year, totaling 2.5716 trillion won, while the special account decreased by 1.7 billion won (0.55%) to 305.7 billion won.

Among the general account resources, self-raised revenues amount to 1.332 trillion won. Local tax revenues, including property tax (100 billion won increase) and local income tax (376 billion won increase), total 966.2 billion won, an increase of 71.2 billion won from this year, representing the largest portion. Non-tax revenues such as user fees and property sales revenues increased by 9.2 billion won to 170.2 billion won, and internal transactions including reserve funds total 195.6 billion won. To ensure fiscal soundness, no local bonds were issued.

Transferred revenues from the central government and regional local governments amount to 1.2396 trillion won. The budget includes local allocation tax of 31.8 billion won (110 billion won decrease), equalization transfer payments of 265 billion won (710 billion won increase), and national and provincial subsidy of 942.8 billion won (616 billion won increase).

In particular, the city will regain its status as a general allocation tax non-receiving entity two years after its conversion in 2020. Through rigorous expenditure restructuring and shared sacrifice, the city achieved fiscal innovation and concentrated the saved resources on COVID-19 response, wisely overcoming the fiscal crisis situation. The city has not only recovered fiscal soundness but also regained fiscal autonomy.

The city's 2022 expenditure budget plan focuses on promoting safe and complete restoration of citizens' daily lives as the nation enters the with-COVID era. It concentrates on supporting the inaugural year of Suwon as a special city, successfully concluding the 7th term of the civilian-led government, and supporting the launch of the 8th term. The city also allocates finances to projects leading local development through active coordination with major government policies.

First, the city has allocated 1.489 trillion won to support safe and complete restoration of daily life for Suwon citizens in preparation for the with-COVID era.

First, 1.0182 trillion won will be invested in establishing a dense welfare safety net for inclusive recovery. ▲Basic old-age pension 287.5 billion won ▲Childcare expenses for infants and toddlers 126.3 billion won ▲Basic livelihood security payments 115 billion won ▲Child allowance 76.9 billion won ▲Infant allowance 14.1 billion won ▲Home childcare allowance 19.1 billion won ▲First meeting vouchers 14.2 billion won ▲Disability pension and allowance 21.2 billion won ▲Youth basic income 15.6 billion won ▲Disability activity support benefits 51.1 billion won ▲Long-term care facilities and home care benefits for the elderly 27.1 billion won ▲Childcare center operation support 86.8 billion won ▲Nuri curriculum operation 47.6 billion won ▲School meal support 43.2 billion won ▲Meal support for children with food insecurity 5.3 billion won ▲Transportation support for mobility-vulnerable persons 9.4 billion won ▲Job support for persons with disabilities 9.8 billion won ▲Emergency welfare support for low-income households 5.5 billion won ▲Self-sufficiency work projects 9.1 billion won, among others.

Second, 70.6 billion won has been allocated to job creation and support for small business owners and SMEs to recover the local economy depressed by prolonged COVID-19. ▲Local currency issuance support 22.1 billion won ▲Senior job projects 18 billion won ▲Tourism industry promotion 10 billion won ▲Alleyway commercial district revitalization 5.4 billion won ▲Public job creation projects including New Hope Jobs 5 billion won ▲Youth job support 1.9 billion won ▲Job center operation and job support projects 4.6 billion won ▲Small business owners and SME/venture business support 3.6 billion won.

Third, 131.1 billion won has been allocated to strengthen safety management through continuous COVID-19 response and disaster/emergency prevention. ▲COVID-19 response and quarantine projects 1.8 billion won ▲COVID-19 vaccine inoculation 20.2 billion won ▲COVID-19 living support funds 5.9 billion won ▲Disease prevention and infectious disease management 20.1 billion won ▲Local public health and health promotion projects 27.5 billion won ▲Citizen safety insurance 1.8 billion won ▲Major repairs to waste recovery facilities 8.3 billion won ▲Urban safety integrated center CCTV installation and management for school routes 3.7 billion won ▲Traffic safety facility management 12.3 billion won ▲Road and electrical facility management and safety inspection 7.3 billion won ▲Stream repair and maintenance 11.9 billion won ▲Emergency road repair and maintenance 9.8 billion won ▲Safe environment creation projects 500 million won, among others.

Fourth, 269.1 billion won has been allocated for expanding citizen-focused infrastructure and providing public services. ▲Domestic waste collection and transportation 61 billion won ▲Hwaseong Palace restoration and cultural property maintenance 18.9 billion won ▲Gwanggyo Multi-purpose Sports Center construction 23.3 billion won ▲Suwon Arboretum development 12 billion won ▲Educational facility environmental improvement 13 billion won ▲Ecological city park development 15.3 billion won ▲Bus financial support projects 20.3 billion won ▲Waste resource recycling facility operation 16.2 billion won ▲Road development and maintenance 15.6 billion won ▲Public parking lot development and resident priority parking system operation 16.2 billion won ▲Agricultural and fishery product wholesale market facility modernization and opening of northern access road 5.9 billion won ▲Urban regeneration projects 12.4 billion won, among others.

The city also pursues efficient financial management through selective focus on promise projects to successfully conclude the 7th term of the civilian-led government. The city will ensure that construction of the Gwanggyo Multi-purpose Sports Center, Paldal Cultural Center, and Suwon Media Center are completed, and that the development of the Suwon Arboretum, urban regeneration projects around the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, the second phase restoration of Hwaseong Palace, agricultural and fishery product wholesale market facility modernization, and school multipurpose gymnasium construction projects proceed stably.

The city also actively participates in the government's "Future Economic Structure Transformation." A total of 72 billion won, including 5.1 billion won for smart tourism city development, will be used to lead digital new deal based on big data, and 383 billion won has been allocated to the Green New Deal, including 29.5 billion won for low-emission vehicle distribution projects aimed at achieving carbon neutrality.

In line with government's newly established youth policies and gap-closing measures, the city will implement the people-centered Human New Deal. 1.2 billion won for youth savings accounts and jeonse loan interest support, 3.3 billion won for childcare support, 6.5 billion won for single-parent family child-rearing support, 8.8 billion won for customized elderly care services, 1 billion won for after-school care services for persons with developmental disabilities, and other 20.8 billion won in funding have been allocated.

Moreover, in 2022, the inaugural year of Suwon as a special city, the city plans to listen to citizens' diverse voices and pursue communication-oriented administration that is practical and implementable to enhance citizen happiness and welfare.

Kwon Chan-ho, director of Planning and Coordination, said, "With the strength of overcoming the fiscal crisis in two years, we will successfully conclude the 7th term of the civilian-led government and support a stable start to the 8th term, and all civil servants of Suwon City will do their best to enable the newly launched Suwon Special City to make greater strides."