ID :
165808
Fri, 03/04/2011 - 11:36
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/165808
The shortlink copeid
Monitor budget waste in local gov'ts
SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- Citizens of Incheon are indignant over the city's reckless construction of an expensive monorail system that is now on the verge of demolition even before it goes into operation.
The city poured 85.3 billion won ($76.5 million) into the construction of the monorail system meant to circulate around a 6.1-kilometer track. It was set to begin operations in July 2009, timed with the Global Fair and Festival the city hosted from August to October that year.
However, it still has not started running due to a series of design and construction problems and accidents during a trial run. The city finally entrusted a civilian panel with the decision of whether the city should continue to push to launch service or tear down the facility altogether. If the committee decides to demolish the structure, the city will have to spend an additional 25 billion won, which would mean over 110 billion won in taxpayers' money wasted.
Incheon is not the only local government to have wasted its budget so egregiously. There have been numerous cases of squandered funds in building luxurious local administration buildings, completing unnecessary projects such as road paving and building unsuccessful theme parks and museums.
For instance, a citizens' retreat center in Yongsan District, Seoul, attracted just 1,617 people in a year. Despite the lackluster use of the retreat center, eight local administrations plan to build similar facilities this year with a total budget of 39.8 billion won.
The feeble financial status of local governments is all too common. Only 52 percent of local governments are self-reliant, and 55.7 percent cannot cover personnel expenses with their tax revenues.
Another problem is that there is virtually no way of monitoring the local governments' push for reckless projects.
Therefore, it is urgent that we make systems to check the abuse of budget by local administrations before they are made. We advise guaranteed participation and surveillance by the public on such projects, from planning and compiling the budget to execution.
Establishing a system of ousting local administration chiefs who have wasted their budgets should also go into consideration.
The city poured 85.3 billion won ($76.5 million) into the construction of the monorail system meant to circulate around a 6.1-kilometer track. It was set to begin operations in July 2009, timed with the Global Fair and Festival the city hosted from August to October that year.
However, it still has not started running due to a series of design and construction problems and accidents during a trial run. The city finally entrusted a civilian panel with the decision of whether the city should continue to push to launch service or tear down the facility altogether. If the committee decides to demolish the structure, the city will have to spend an additional 25 billion won, which would mean over 110 billion won in taxpayers' money wasted.
Incheon is not the only local government to have wasted its budget so egregiously. There have been numerous cases of squandered funds in building luxurious local administration buildings, completing unnecessary projects such as road paving and building unsuccessful theme parks and museums.
For instance, a citizens' retreat center in Yongsan District, Seoul, attracted just 1,617 people in a year. Despite the lackluster use of the retreat center, eight local administrations plan to build similar facilities this year with a total budget of 39.8 billion won.
The feeble financial status of local governments is all too common. Only 52 percent of local governments are self-reliant, and 55.7 percent cannot cover personnel expenses with their tax revenues.
Another problem is that there is virtually no way of monitoring the local governments' push for reckless projects.
Therefore, it is urgent that we make systems to check the abuse of budget by local administrations before they are made. We advise guaranteed participation and surveillance by the public on such projects, from planning and compiling the budget to execution.
Establishing a system of ousting local administration chiefs who have wasted their budgets should also go into consideration.
