2006년 7월 1일 제주특별자치도가 출범하였다. 4개시군 및 제주도라는 두 계층체제에서 제주특별자치도라는 단일계층체제로 전환된 것이다. 그런데 다시금 이러한 행정체제에 대한 개편논의가 있다. 기초자치단체형(시장직선, 의회구성)이나 행정시장직선형(시장직선, 의회미구성) 등이 대표적인 방안으로 거론되고 있다. 이 글에서는 이러한 제주특별자치도 행정체제개편안이 제주특별자치도의 재정에 어떠한 영향을 줄지, 즉 재정중립성 여부에 대해 검토하고 재정자립도와 재정자주도를 높이기 위한 법적 방안 등을 제시하였다.
재정자립도와 재정자주도의 측면에서 제주특별자치도가 도입되기 전 기초지방자치단체별, 도입된 이후 행정시별(자료의 한계로 사실상 제주도 전체) 자료를 각각 비교한 결과, 현재의 행정체계이든, 기초자치단체형이든 행정시장형이든 간에 제주 전체의 재정자립도와 재정자주도에 큰 영향을 주지 않는다. 재정중립적이라는 것이다. 종전 제주특별자치도내 지방자치단체간 재정자립도와 재정자주도 격차를 줄이는 것은 별개의 문제이다.
한편 제주특별자치도의 재정자립도를 높이는 방안으로 새로운 세목 신설에 대해서는 지방세법 개정이후 조례에 의해 세율조정을 하는 방법, 소득세와는 다른 체계의 지방소득세 개정, 지방소비세 세율의 확대, 제주특별자치도에 대한 특례를 인정받기 위한 논리개발 등을 들 수 있다. 제주특별자치도의 자주재원과 관련한 재정자립도를 높이는 방안으로는, 종전 국가사무에 대한 재정지원 확보, 국가 차원의 각종 감면에 따른 재정지원 확보 등을 들 수 있다. 다만 이 글에서는 현 시점에서 세입 차원에 초점을 맞추어 그 방향만을 제시하였다. 세부적인 시행방안 및 그 방안의 타당성에 대해서는 차후 연구과제로 남긴다.
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has been established on July 1, 2006. The two class systems called 4 city-counties and Jeju-Do have been converted into the single class system called Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. By the way, there is a discussion about this reorganization of administrative system again.
The type of primary local authority (the direct election of mayor, the composition of parliaments, etc.) or the type of direct election of administrative mayor (the direct election of mayor, without composition of parliaments), etc. are being discussed as the representative plan. It is reviewed how this reorganization plan of administrative system of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province may effect on the finance of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, namely the degree of the financial neutrality is considered, and the legal plans to enhance the self-reliance ratio of finance and the financial independence ratio have been proposed in this text.
It does not have the substantial effect on the self-reliance ratio of finance and the financial independence ratio of the whole Jeju Province whether it is current administrative system, the type of primary local authority, the type of administrative mayor whatever it would be as a result of comparison between the data by the primary local government before Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has been introduced and the data by administrative cities (in fact the whole Jeju Province owing to the limit of data) after that has been introduced from the aspect of the self-reliance ratio of finance and the financial independence ratio. It is said that the finance is neutral. It is another matter to narrow the gap in the self-reliance ratio of finance and the financial independence ratio among the local governments within the previous Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.
Meanwhile, as the plan to enhance the self-reliance ratio of finance in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the method to adjust the tax rate pursuant to the ordinance after the amendment of the local tax law for the new items of taxation, the amendment of local income tax different system from the income tax, the expansion of local consumption tax rate, and the development of logic, etc. to achieve the recognition of special case for Jeju Special Self-Governing Province are to be addressed.
As the plan to enhance the self-reliance ratio of finance in relation to the independent revenue of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the security of financial support for the previous national office works and the security of financial support in accordance with the various kinds of exemption at national level, etc. are needed. But in this text only its direction focusing on the tax revenue level at this point in time has been proposed. The detailed enforcement plan and the validity of its plan shall be assigned to the future research subject.