WEDNESDAY, JANURY 22, 1986
3
BALANCED BUDGET FOR URBCO IN SIGHT
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A NEW FINANCIAL PACKAGE HAS BEEN DRAWN UP TO ENSURE THAT THE URBAN COUNCIL WILL HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE RATING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THAT UNDER THE EXISTING FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL WAS GRADUALLY BUT INEXORABLY SLIPPING INTO AN EVER- INCREASING DEFICIT POSITION.
HE SAID THAT THIS, IN A FEW MORE YEARS, WOULD HAVE JEOPARDISED THE HIGH STANDARD OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES AT PRESENT PROVIDED FOR THE FOUR MILLION URBAN DWELLERS OF HONG KONG.
+TO ENABLE THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE WITH ITS LONG-TERM AND MEANINGFUL TASK, THE COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNMENT SET UP A WORKING PARTY EARLY LAST YEAR TO FORMULATE A NEW FINANCIAL PACKAGE AND FURTHERMORE DEVISE PRACTICAL AMENDMENTS TO THE OUTDATED MEMORANDUM OF ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNCIL WHICH WAS DRAWN UP IN 1973, + MR CHEONG-LEEN EXPLAINED.
HE SAID THAT A NEW FINANCIAL PACKAGE HAD BEEN DRAWN UP WHICH NECESSITATED THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO THE RATES PERCENTAGE IN THE URBAN COUNCIL AREA TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
+ALTHOUGH THE COUNCIL WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION AS A RESULT OF THE NEW FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS, I MUST EMPHASISE THAT URBAN COUNCILLORS AND THE URBN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE VER CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED T ECONOMISE,+ HE SAID.
+ I WOULD FURTHERMORE ASSURE THE RATEPAYERS OF HONG KONG THAT THE HIGH STANDARD OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES THEY HAVE COM TO EXPECT AND TAKE FOR GRANTED WILL BE MAINTAINED, HE ADDED.
MR CHEONG-LEEN ALSO NOTED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE NEW FINANCIAL PACKAGE, THE URBAN COUNCIL WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ITS CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAMME WITH ANTICIPATED CASH EXPENDITURE OF $1.57 BILLION FOR THE PERIOD 1985-86 TO 1989-90 TO PROVIDE STILL MORE MODERN FACILITIES FOR THE CITY, AND THUS MEET THE RISING ASPIRATIONS OF THE DYNAMIC COMMUNITY.
ALSO SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS CONTAINED IN THE BILL, THE HON MARIA TAM SAID THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SALARY GRANT FROM THE URBAN COUNCIL BY THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE OFFSET BY A 0.5 PER CENT INCREASE IN RATES INCOME FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S SHARE OF THE GENERAL RATES AND ANOTHER 0.5 PER CENT INCREASE IN RATE REVENUE WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE URBAN COUNCIL TO MEET NORMAL GROWTH AND INFLATION.
/+THIS WİLL