Criticizing the bill review as "slapdash"... urging a bipartisan special committee with equal representation, in step with Kim Taeheum
City council members of Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province, who belong to the People Power Party and represent the constituency of party leader Jang Donghyuk, expressed opposition to the Daejeon-South Chungcheong administrative integration bill, declaring, "We cannot accept an integration that does not clearly specify substantive special provisions and the transfer of fiscal resources and authority."
This move aligns with South Chungcheong Governor Kim Taeheum's hard-line stance, at a time when the People Power Party is escalating its offensive by characterizing the National Assembly’s review process as "slapdash."
On February 14, the city council members issued an emergency statement at Jang Donghyuk’s People Power Party Boryeong District Office, saying, "The bill currently under discussion has had key fiscal provisions such as the transfer of capital gains tax and local allocation tax removed," and adding, "A bill that retains only declarative language cannot guarantee the future of our region."
They criticized the February 11 review by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee’s Bill Review Subcommittee as "slapdash and deceitful."
They went on to stress, "The Public Administration and Security Committee must immediately halt its review and establish a joint special committee with an equal number of ruling and opposition members," adding, "We will respond firmly, staking both citizens’ right to livelihood and the pride of our region."
City council member Park Sangmo argued, "If the adjustment of the local tax ratio to 65 to 35 is a promised matter, then specific figures and the transfer of financial resources must be reflected in the bill," and asserted, "Administrative integration is an issue that concerns Boryeong’s very right to exist."
Earlier, on February 12, Governor Kim also criticized the Public Administration and Security Committee’s review at a press conference as a "slapdash handling that trampled on the aspirations of the region," and stated, "If there are no convincing special provisions and transfers of authority, I will not rule out a major political decision."
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