The share of personal income tax in the revenues of primary level budgets in the Vitebsk region in 2010 will be 50%

FISHING ROD FOR THE RURAL COUNCIL The election campaign for local council deputies is in full swing. While future people's representatives are vying for the votes of their constituents, the current corps of deputies is summing up the results of their work. The deputies of the 25th convocation have much to their credit, largely thanks to Decree No. 21 "On Enhancing the Role of Local Government Bodies in Addressing the Population's Livelihood Issues." In an interview with a BELTA correspondent, the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies, Alexander Atyasov, spoke about how the Vitebsk region's corps of deputies has applied this decree and what benefits it has brought to their constituents. - The decree "On Enhancing the Role of Local Government Bodies in Addressing the Population's Livelihood Issues," adopted in early 2007, has become fundamental to our work, allowing local councils of deputies to independently form and manage their budgets, and thus promptly resolve the problems of their constituents. Although, I won't hide it, there were skeptics at first, as the decree did not directly allocate funds. But it provided the most important thing – a real mechanism for budget replenishment. It's like giving someone a fishing rod to feed themselves. After a year of working with the decree, the share of own revenues of rural and settlement executive committees was 65%, and by the end of 2009, it reached 73%. The free balances in the accounts of primary-level executive committees as of January 1, 2010, amounted to Br5 billion. For rural and settlement executive committees, this is a significant amount of money that can be directed for the benefit of the people. This year, the share of own revenues is also planned to be at least 70%. The decree is working, all its provisions are in effect, and to the skeptics, I would say this: one must approach problem-solving creatively and not from a dependent perspective. Close cooperation with the executive authorities is also crucial. - Alexander Egorovich, what is the source of replenishment for local budgets? - We have utilized all the opportunities provided by the decree, the Budget Code, and the law on local government and self-government. Over 20 taxes and fees are credited to the primary level budget: land tax and property tax, fees from collectors, fees for services in the sphere of agro-ecotourism, and others, as well as personal income tax. There were many debates about this tax, but we believed that it would incentivize the corps of deputies and executive committees to demand decent wages from employers for their employees, promote the development of rural entrepreneurship, the establishment of production facilities, and the creation of new jobs. Personal income tax is the main source of replenishment for the local treasury. In 2009, its share was 39%. This year, personal income tax in primary-level revenues will increase to 50%. Another significant source of budget replenishment has been the fee from collectors. In 2009, the revenue from this fee to local budgets amounted to Br1.3 billion, of which 54% was credited to primary-level budgets. This has sparked interest in ensuring that surplus products, whether from private farms or forest gifts, are sold to local enterprises and do not leave the region. However, for revenues from this fee to grow, conditions must be created that are convenient and profitable for people. - We have now moved on to the question of how the implementation of the decree's provisions has affected ordinary people – the voters. - Among the main areas of activity for the deputies of the 25th convocation were providing assistance to the population in developing personal subsidiary plots, improving settlements, and maintaining order in the land. Personal subsidiary plots are a major concern for us. Every year, the number of cattle on private farms decreases by approximately 5,000 head. If in 2000, the population kept about 105,000 cows, now it is 35,400. At the same time, produce from private gardens is a great support for rural residents; for many, it's a second salary. And for the state, it's a significant volume of agricultural production: about 12% of the total processed volume is milk purchased from the population, while potatoes and other vegetables account for about 90%. Therefore, executive committees, in cooperation with farms and district authorities, are doing everything possible to support personal subsidiary plots. We use various forms to organize milk procurement. In particular, we support rural entrepreneurs in organizing procurement. The Liozno district was the pioneer in this initiative four years ago, and now it has been joined by the Gluboksky, Postavsky, Sharkovshchinsky, Ushachsky, Dokshitsky, and Braslavsky districts. It is worth adding that if the average milk yield per cow in the region is 2.3 thousand kg, then in areas where private milk collectors operate, this figure reaches 3.2 thousand kg. This indicates that it is profitable for people, entrepreneurs are satisfied, and dairy plants receive additional raw materials. Communal unitary enterprises providing assistance to personal subsidiary plots continue to operate in the region. In the Lepel district, such enterprises operate under several rural councils, and the Kamensky rural council, headed by Nikolai Sinitsyn, serves as an example in this matter. At his initiative, the enterprise "Kamen-agroservice" was established. The enterprise's mechanical yard is equipped with a full set of agricultural machinery: three tractors, two combine harvesters, potato diggers, and sets of attachments. Rural residents in the Kamensky rural council have no problems with land cultivation. Additionally, surplus milk is purchased in three rural councils. Serious work has been established with consumer cooperatives for the procurement of surplus meat, vegetables, and fruits. For example, in the Dunilovichi rural council of the Postavy district, with the support of local cooperators, a comprehensive center has been created where a farmer can grind grain, sell meat, freeze fruits or vegetables for themselves, or purchase something for their farm. Rural councils have always been involved in improvement, and now, thanks to the available funds, the work is being carried out comprehensively. Although there is still much to be done. Within the framework of improvement, work on water supply is financed, and the operation of public baths is ensured. Thanks to Decree No. 21, we were able to resolve a long-standing problem – streets in villages that were effectively ownerless since the Soviet era: they were not on anyone's balance sheet. Now all streets and driveways have been transferred to the balance of housing and communal services, and starting this year, for the first time, funds for street maintenance have been allocated in the budgets of rural councils – Br1.9 billion. I would like to add that thanks to the ability to regulate revenues themselves, executive committees have increased expenditures on housing and communal services in their budgets. In 2010, expenditures on housing and communal services amount to Br19.1 billion, or 47% of the primary budget structure. - Speaking of improvement and maintaining order in the land, one cannot fail to mention the work on demolishing dilapidated and vacant private rural houses… - In the Vitebsk region, chairmen of district and rural councils have led headquarters since 2007 and started working with the owners of these houses. Decree No. 70 "On Measures to Regulate the Accounting and Reduce the Number of Vacant and Dilapidated Houses with Outbuildings and Other Structures in Rural Areas" is being successfully implemented. In 2009, 1,274 dilapidated houses and 344 vacant houses were demolished, and a total of about 10,000 such structures over three years. And, importantly, heirs were found, and they were compelled to bring 13,000 houses into order. Although I won't hide it, there are still many problems. After all, this is primarily work with the population: some need to be persuaded to pay attention to their property, while with others, we even have to go to court. We have won over 100 court cases. But we always try to find a compromise and achieve understanding with the owners. - The activities of the deputies of local councils of the 25th convocation are coming to an end. How do you assess the work of your colleagues? - The work of the corps of deputies, both at the regional level and the deputies of basic and primary councils, was aimed at implementing the socio-economic development plans approved at the sessions. I believe that it was the constructive work of the deputies with the population and authorities that allowed us to solve many of the set tasks. There are many specific examples. The most active deputy work was carried out in the Shumilinsky, Liozno, Lepel, and Dokshitsky districts. Evidence of the high appraisal of the corps of deputies' work is that according to the results of 2009, the honorary title and badge "Person of the Year of Vitebsk Region" were awarded to Svetlana Kiyko, Chairman of the Lovzhansky Rural Council of Deputies of the Shumilinsky District, and Lyubov Trubeko, Chairman of the Bogushevsky Settlement Council of Deputies of the Senno District. The fulfillment of Directive No. 1 and Decree No. 18 was under special attention of the deputies. In many councils, deputies took personal patronage over families in difficult situations, which also indicates that the corps of deputies includes caring individuals capable not only of empathy but also of providing real assistance. - Alexander Egorovich, what do you consider most important in the work of a deputy? What main goals would you set for the new corps of deputies? - A deputy is a people's representative. His main task is to solve the problems that concern the residents of his constituency. Today, a deputy must be knowledgeable about a complex of issues: jobs, wages, services, new production facilities. A local council deputy is not a full-time position, but if one runs for deputy, they must delve into these problems. In the new convocation, we want to see professionals, authoritative, knowledgeable, and caring individuals. By Diana KURILO, BELTA.-0-