DAGUPAN CITY, March 17 (PNA) — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here finally approved the 2011 annual budget of Dagupan, an amount below the proposal of Mayor Benjamin Lim.
The P487-million budget was approved during a special session of the SP on Wednesday by a vote of eight councilors against four.
Under the Local Government Code, the Sanggunian can still approve a budget 90 days from the start of the fiscal year if it fails to approve a budget by December 31 every year.
The amount was P81 million lower than the budget of P568 million proposed by Mayor Lim and even lower than last year’s approved budget of P498 million during the term of then Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr.
The committee took note of a decision of the Supreme Court reinstating the 16 newly created cities, in which Dagupan City's share from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) might be reduced by P20 million.
The proposed city budget was placed under thorough scrutiny by the city council starting January 16 and during their review discrepancies were discovered again and again, thus the City Mayor’s Office had to amend it several times.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez said they will forward the approved budget to the mayor's office within two days.(PNA)
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