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Appendix 8 Fiscal measures for promoting municipal mergers
I Fiscal measures through the ordinary local allocation tax
| (1) |
The special calculation of the ordinary local allocation tax
(merger calculation) |
Full guarantee of the ordinary local allocation tax that would have been granted had there been no merger shall be extended for ten fiscal years from the time of the merger. Relief for dramatic changes shall be granted for the following five fiscal years.
| (2) |
Fiscal measures for temporary expenditures caused by a merger
(merger calculation) |
Fiscal measures for expenditures of administrative integration after a merger (e.g. formation/revision of a fundamental plan, network building).
| (3) |
Fiscal measures for projects of promoting municipal mergers
by prefectural governments |
Fiscal measures for expenditures of survey research and fostering of momentum for a merger.
II Fiscal measures through the special local allocation tax
| (1) |
Fiscal measures for merged municipalities |
Fiscal measures to adequately respond the demands, such as new regional development led by a merger, adjustment of gaps in public utility charges, redress of disparities in debt expenditures, restoration of sound management of a Land Development Corporation.
| (2) |
Fiscal measures for expenses of preparations of merger |
Fiscal measures for expenses of establishing a merger council
| (3) |
Fiscal measures for merger transition expenses |
Fiscal measures for pre-merger expenses that help to integrate related municipalities after a merger.
| (4) |
Fiscal measures for municipal merger support expenses of prefectural
governments |
Fiscal measures for expenses that are incurred by prefectural governments as grants to the municipal merger promoting projects.
III Fiscal measures through special merger bonds
| (1) |
Fiscal measures for construction projects of regional development
in a merged municipality |
During the 10 fiscal years, it shall be possible to appropriate local bonds for particularly necessary projects based on municipal construction plans. (Appropriation ratio: 95%, ordinary local allocation tax measure ratio: 70%)
| (2) |
Fiscal measures for an establishment of funds aimed at developing
merged municipality |
Appropriation of special bonds for establishing the funds aimed at regional development of former units of the municipalities and fostering residents' sense of identity. (Appropriation ratio: 90%, ordinary local allocation tax measure ratio: 70%)
Appendix 9 The outline of the Municipal Merger Support Plan
Aug 30, 2001
Municipal Merger Support Head Office
I Necessity of municipal merger supports
In order to take advantage of the on-going decentralization and maintain/enhance administrative services of municipalities- the basic autonomy body, the central government has to promote voluntary municipal mergers according to the Outline of Administrative Reform (cabinet decision, Dec 1, 2000) so that adequate results would be produced by March 31,2005, the due date of the Special Act for Municipal Mergers.
II Policies for formulating the support plan
The Municipal Merger Support Head Office (called "Support HO" below) that was established by the cabinet decision on March 27 with the Minister of Public Management, Home Affairs, and Posts and Telecommunications as a general manager and vice ministers of other ministries as headquarters has been studying proposals for supporting effective municipal mergers through the meetings, the first held on March 28 and the second on May 30.
The Municipal Merger Support Plan (called "Support Plan" below) stipulates supportive measures by the Support HO when municipalities promote their regional development through mergers. This plan is designed to help municipal mergers and achieve diverse revitalization of local regions based on the Basic Policy on Economic and Fiscal Management and Structural Reforms of Economy and Society (cabinet decision, June 26, 2001).
| i) |
Designated municipalities that prefectural governments have
put particular emphasis on merger supports. |
| ii) |
Municipalities that will have merged by the end of March 2005. |
III Support Plan
| (1) |
Plans for promoting municipal mergers |
| i) |
Expansion of local administrative and financial supports |
| (a) |
Administrative supports
| ・ |
Expansion of resident proposal system on a merger council and
introduction of local referendum |
| ・ |
Utilization of branch offices, local councils and post offices |
| ・ |
Introduction of more flexibility into designating a government
designated city. |
|
| (b) |
Fiscal supports
| ・ |
Preferential Tax measurements |
| ・ |
Grants for constructing a promotion system of a municipal merger |
| ・ |
Fiscal measures for prefectural governments that support municipal
mergers |
|
| ii) |
Supports by the new cooperation of the ministries concerned
(58 projects in total) |
| (a) |
Building infrastructure for the well-being
| a) |
Road construction (4 projects) |
| b) |
Developing conditions for securing transportation convenience
(2 projects) |
| c) |
Urban development (1 project) |
| d) |
Improvements of living environments (5 projects) |
| e) |
Improvements of parks and green space (1 project) |
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| (b) |
Creation of affluent environments for living
| a) |
Promotion of measures for waste disposals (2 projects) |
| b) |
Improvements of public water supply (3 projects) |
| c) |
Construction of sewerage system (4 projects) |
| d) |
Fire, disaster prevention, land conservation (4 projects) |
| e) |
Construction of an information and telecommunication infrastructure
(2 projects) |
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| (c) |
Enhancement of lifetime health and medical welfare
service
| a) |
Responses to nursing-care insurance (1 project) |
| b) |
Promotion of sound management of the national health insurance |
| c) |
Promotion of social participation of elderly people |
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| (d) |
Upgrading of education for the next generation
(5 projects) |
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| (e) |
Development of industry suitable to the new century
| a) |
Promotion of agriculture and forestry & fishery |
| b) |
Promotion of commerce and industry |
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| (f) |
Open regional development through partnerships
and exchanges (4 projects) |
| (2) |
Municipal Merger Advisory System |
The Municipal Merger Advisory System that utilizes existing advisory systems of related ministries is to be established, focusing on assisting a selectively merger supported region designated by the prefectural governments because newly merged municipalities tend to be lack of human resources and know-how on future planning and organizational designing.
| (3) |
Public relations and enlightenment of municipal mergers |
Ministries are supposed to collaboratively take more proactive approaches to public relations and enlightenment of municipal merger mentioned below.
| i) |
A relay symposium by all the 47 prefectural governments |
| ii) |
A symposium for enhanced municipal merger supports |
| iii) |
Public relations and enlightenment of municipal mergers |
Implementation of public relations and enlightenment by public service announcement and ministries.
| (4) |
Municipal merger support windows |
Ministries are supposed to collaboratively establish windows at the Ministries, through the internet, and at local branch offices.
IV Efforts of prefectural governments
Prefectural governments are desired to establish their supportive systems led by their governor as early as possible within the year of 2001, designate at least several selectively merger supported areas and implement systematic and positive supportive measures to municipalities' efforts of mergers within the prefecture based on the Support Plan.
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