"Converting the districts into cities is urgently needed to resolve the fiscal difficulties facing Gwangju's autonomous districts," officials said.
The five autonomous districts of Gwangju have asked Integrated Special City Mayor Min Hyeong-bae to increase fiscal support and raise the local grant allocation rate as part of the process of converting the districts into basic autonomous cities.
The Council of District Mayors of Gwangju Integrated Special City met with Mayor Min for a luncheon in Seo-gu on Saturday morning, delivering two formal proposals during the gathering.
The council first asked that the current allocation rate for local grants and adjustment grants — set at 23.9 percent — be raised to around 27 percent, in line with the rates applied to cities and counties in South Jeolla Province.
The council also called on the integrated city to provide financial support, noting that the districts' strained budgets alone would not be sufficient to fund the conversion.
Mayor Min said he sympathized with the districts' fiscal difficulties and the need for support, but added that any increase in the allocation rate would first require a legal basis and thorough review.
The council said Min also stressed the need to consider equity among the city's municipalities, noting that the integrated city encompasses not only the five autonomous districts but also 22 cities and counties.
The council agreed to continue discussions on the city conversion through ongoing consultations between the integrated city's budget departments and district-level working officials.
sij@heraldcorp.com
