Residents have their say over budget
Source: Shanghai Daily |
January 1, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
There's no shortage of neighborhood opinion when it comes to how government money is spent on services, and Minhang residents were no exception as they piled into a community hall to voice their gripes and suggestions at a public budget hearing in December.
For the fourth year running, the district government held a hearing to elicit residents' views about 2011 spending programs totaling 220 million yuan (US$32.3 million). The session related to spending on subsidies for farmers, the free bike rental program, education and property management, which are getting combined 16 percent more money than last year.
"These subjects, selected from 21 district programs, are closely related with people's every day life," said Gu Hongping, director of the Minhang Finance and Economy Committee.
"Moreover, they are very controversial and generate great concern among the public."
Minhang District began its public hearings at the end of 2008 to modernize its budgetary process and make it more transparent and democratic. The hearings require government officials to appear and justify programs in public, which makes them think twice about what they are doing.
This year, when residents looked over the spending plans, they found plenty to provoke comment and questions.
The district's program of providing free rental bicycles to residents copped a lot of sometimes heated discussion.
"How did you figure 998 yuan as the average expenditure for a new rental bike?" complained one resident. "I don't think it costs that much."
"The free bike rental policy is idling private bikes," said another, "so I suggest the government set up parking areas for private bikes at Metro stations."
"We need more free rental bicycles in older residential communities," said yet another.
Li Jianjiang, deputy director of the district's construction and traffic committee, tried to assure the public that Minhang officials have taken their concerns into account.
More bikes
According to the budget plan outlined in Li's report, 7,000 more bikes will be added to the free rental program this year, bringing the total to 26,000. The government will spend 25.9 million yuan on acquisition of new bikes and on maintenance and management of the whole bicycle fleet and rental stations.
Not all the hearing participants were local residents. Some experts, like Gou Yannan, director of the public budget and performance evaluation center at Fudan University, also attended. She praised the public hearings process.
"The public's awareness and participation in the government's budgetary process have been raised, which improves governance and oversight by legislative authorities," she told the hearing.
Public hearing keeps the public informed where each cent of money from the government goes to, offering ordinary citizens the opportunity to participate in budget framing, she added.
About 260 people attended the December hearing, including residents, expert and local legislative representatives. That's 10 percent more than last year.
Budget materials were posted online several days before the hearing to give participants the chance to study them and frame their comments. Local television stations and newspapers alerted people to the hearing date. Residents wanting to attend the hearing had to file applications to appear in person.
District residents also submitted written comments. All the public input will be included in a report to the Minhang District's People's Congress.
It wasn't only bicycles that drew a lot of public discussion.
The biggest expenditure on the agenda - 84.1 million yuan in subsidies for farmers - triggered controversy about the criteria used to disperse the funds.
Some rural residents said it's unfair for farmers raising vegetables, grains and fruits to get different subsidies from those planting trees. According to the plan, the former group will receive 800 yuan for every mu (about 666.67 square meters) of cultivation, while the latter will get only 300 yuan.
Liu Ming, director of the district's agriculture committee, explained that the government's goal is to ensure an efficient supply of food to keep prices from rising too steeply.
"We aim to encourage farmers to plant grain rather than trees, and for those who turn from raising trees to raising food, we will provide a subsidy of 3,000 yuan for each mu."
The 33.17 million yuan property management program, which uses government money to improve the management of some older residential complexes, also provoked considerable comment.
Speakers at the hearing asked how long the program will remain in place and what will happen once funding is withdrawn. They also questioned the criteria used to determine property management services in their neighborhoods.
"The government's intervention to improve property services and management is admirable, but it shouldn't be a housekeeper forever or it will lead to dependence of property managers," said Yang Hai, a representative from the Minhang's People's Congress.
Education spending was also an topic during the budget hearing. The money under discussion will be used to provide training and other personnel services to schools and kindergartens. It also provides a guaranty fund to cover the costs of accidents or breaches of contract at those educational facilities. Residents speaking on the issue asked for clarification on what criteria will be used in the disbursement of the funds.
For the fourth year running, the district government held a hearing to elicit residents' views about 2011 spending programs totaling 220 million yuan (US$32.3 million). The session related to spending on subsidies for farmers, the free bike rental program, education and property management, which are getting combined 16 percent more money than last year.
"These subjects, selected from 21 district programs, are closely related with people's every day life," said Gu Hongping, director of the Minhang Finance and Economy Committee.
"Moreover, they are very controversial and generate great concern among the public."
Minhang District began its public hearings at the end of 2008 to modernize its budgetary process and make it more transparent and democratic. The hearings require government officials to appear and justify programs in public, which makes them think twice about what they are doing.
This year, when residents looked over the spending plans, they found plenty to provoke comment and questions.
The district's program of providing free rental bicycles to residents copped a lot of sometimes heated discussion.
"How did you figure 998 yuan as the average expenditure for a new rental bike?" complained one resident. "I don't think it costs that much."
"The free bike rental policy is idling private bikes," said another, "so I suggest the government set up parking areas for private bikes at Metro stations."
"We need more free rental bicycles in older residential communities," said yet another.
Li Jianjiang, deputy director of the district's construction and traffic committee, tried to assure the public that Minhang officials have taken their concerns into account.
More bikes
According to the budget plan outlined in Li's report, 7,000 more bikes will be added to the free rental program this year, bringing the total to 26,000. The government will spend 25.9 million yuan on acquisition of new bikes and on maintenance and management of the whole bicycle fleet and rental stations.
Not all the hearing participants were local residents. Some experts, like Gou Yannan, director of the public budget and performance evaluation center at Fudan University, also attended. She praised the public hearings process.
"The public's awareness and participation in the government's budgetary process have been raised, which improves governance and oversight by legislative authorities," she told the hearing.
Public hearing keeps the public informed where each cent of money from the government goes to, offering ordinary citizens the opportunity to participate in budget framing, she added.
About 260 people attended the December hearing, including residents, expert and local legislative representatives. That's 10 percent more than last year.
Budget materials were posted online several days before the hearing to give participants the chance to study them and frame their comments. Local television stations and newspapers alerted people to the hearing date. Residents wanting to attend the hearing had to file applications to appear in person.
District residents also submitted written comments. All the public input will be included in a report to the Minhang District's People's Congress.
It wasn't only bicycles that drew a lot of public discussion.
The biggest expenditure on the agenda - 84.1 million yuan in subsidies for farmers - triggered controversy about the criteria used to disperse the funds.
Some rural residents said it's unfair for farmers raising vegetables, grains and fruits to get different subsidies from those planting trees. According to the plan, the former group will receive 800 yuan for every mu (about 666.67 square meters) of cultivation, while the latter will get only 300 yuan.
Liu Ming, director of the district's agriculture committee, explained that the government's goal is to ensure an efficient supply of food to keep prices from rising too steeply.
"We aim to encourage farmers to plant grain rather than trees, and for those who turn from raising trees to raising food, we will provide a subsidy of 3,000 yuan for each mu."
The 33.17 million yuan property management program, which uses government money to improve the management of some older residential complexes, also provoked considerable comment.
Speakers at the hearing asked how long the program will remain in place and what will happen once funding is withdrawn. They also questioned the criteria used to determine property management services in their neighborhoods.
"The government's intervention to improve property services and management is admirable, but it shouldn't be a housekeeper forever or it will lead to dependence of property managers," said Yang Hai, a representative from the Minhang's People's Congress.
Education spending was also an topic during the budget hearing. The money under discussion will be used to provide training and other personnel services to schools and kindergartens. It also provides a guaranty fund to cover the costs of accidents or breaches of contract at those educational facilities. Residents speaking on the issue asked for clarification on what criteria will be used in the disbursement of the funds.
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