“경기도 예산 40조지만 수년째 적자”…추미애, 대통령에 세제 개혁 건의

Gyeonggi-do Governor Lee Jae-myung has proposed three major tax reforms at the 10th Central-Joint Cooperation Conference. The proposals aim to address the province's chronic financial deficits, despite a budget exceeding 40 trillion won each year.

Firstly, Lee suggested increasing the local consumption tax rate from the current 25.3% to 40%. This change, alongside a reconfigured consumption-based revenue structure, would improve the balance between national and local budgets. The governor argued that this would alleviate the structural limitations plaguing Gyeonggi-do.

Secondly, Lee proposed a new system where 5% of corporate tax revenue is distributed to the regional government. This shift aims to balance the financial burden on industries and support the necessary infrastructure and industry growth. The proposal comes as the country's advanced manufacturing sector is driving tax revenue, yet the burden of supporting related facilities and operations remains centralized.

Lastly, Lee requested the conversion of the tobacco-based regional education tax into a general-purpose social service tax, "Fire Safety District Resource Facility Tax." This move would provide a more stable funding source for fire safety services, following the reassignment of national personnel to a national role and the dwindling domestic budget allocation for fire safety.