China News Agency, Macau, November 11 (Reporter Long Tuyou) "Although the public fiscal revenue of the Macao Special Administrative Region is expected to decrease in 2022, the government proposes to extend a series of measures to benefit the people next year and do its utmost to ensure that residents continue to enjoy benefits. "On the afternoon of the 11th, when the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Li Weinong, attended the meeting of the Legislative Council, he made a firm promise to the residents of Macao.
The Legislative Council of the Macao Special Administrative Region held a plenary meeting on the same day to discuss and pass the "2021 Fiscal Year Budget" bill in general.
When introducing the bill, Li Weinong said that looking forward to 2022, the world will continue to be affected by the new crown pneumonia epidemic, and the external economic environment is still uncertain.
After careful evaluation, it is estimated that the SAR’s gross gaming revenue next year will be 130 billion yuan (MOP, the same below), and the SAR government will use this as the main estimated revenue basis for preparing next year’s budget.
Li Weinong said: "Since next year's budget revenue is expected to still be insufficient to meet budgetary expenditures, it is necessary to re-use the excess reserves in the fiscal reserves, amounting to 30.344 billion yuan, to achieve a balance in the SAR's public finances next year."
Li Weinong emphasized that in 2022, the SAR government will continue to retrench expenditures, save the recurrent expenditures of public departments and institutions, and ensure the rational use of public financial resources, but the relevant measures will not affect the public financial expenditures used to benefit the people.
The SAR government still proposes to continue a series of benefits for the people next year, including cash sharing plans, medical subsidy plans, retirement pensions, pensions, disability pensions, and disability allowances.
In addition, the SAR government intends to continue a series of tax reduction and exemption measures next year, including exemption from business tax, insurance policy and banking stamp duty, hawker license fees, market stall rent, fresh food quarantine fees, merchant advertising license tax, restaurant tourism tax, etc.
At the meeting, many members were concerned that the government did not inject capital into the Central Provident Fund next year, which might affect the lives of the elderly and the disabled.
Li Weinong responded that the government has set aside 23.2 billion for welfare expenses and tax reductions, and has set aside 6.4 billion for welfare expenditures for the elderly. Nothing has been reduced." (End)