Chapter 390

After chatting about work, Zhao Tao still didn't leave; it seemed he really feared Governor Hong Tao's criticism, waiting for Lu Fan to implement the work.

Director Wei, Governor Hong Tao has instructed that the city's government debt accounts must be reported within two days; please organize the government implicit debt platform and submit the numbers to the Municipal Party Committee tomorrow. Also, for the debts of municipal directly-administered units, the Finance Bureau should also 'scoop' them, with no discounts!

Wei Jingyun asked: "Secretary-General, report everything? Dare to report?"

Just report truthfully; no need to worry about anything else!

Okay, I'll arrange it right away; this work is under Huang Ruiqi's responsibility, the data are basically mature; I'll personally deliver it to you tomorrow morning.

Okay, thanks!

Wei Jingyun is the Municipal Finance Bureau Director promoted by Li Mingzhou; he naturally won't be vague about Lu Fan's instructions. And Huang Ruiqi, whom Lu Fan promoted from the Ganshui County Finance Bureau to the Municipal Finance Bureau, poses no problem either.

Then Lu Fan called the Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Municipal Transportation Bureau, Municipal Natural Resources Bureau, Municipal Water Affairs Bureau, Municipal Urban Management Bureau, and other project units, making the same demand: report the debt clearance accounts tomorrow morning, with no discounts allowed.

Except for Natural Resources Bureau Director Zhang Rui, who showed some reluctance, the other bureau heads answered without hesitation.

But Lu Fan, having served as a county party secretary, certainly isn't lacking in 'boldness'.

Facing Zhang Rui's 'buck-passing and making excuses,' Lu Fan said without mercy: 'Director Zhang, regarding the reporting of Yingjiang City's debt clearance accounts, Governor Hong Tao has issued clear instructions; the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government leaders attach great importance to this. Please fully recognize the severity and complexity of the debt clearance situation, raise your political stance, implement the responsibility of 'new officials settling old accounts,' and from the height of political discussion, firmly grasp the debt clearance investigation, groundwork, and account reporting work. The Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government dare to take real action, dare to shoulder responsibility, with the posture of gnawing hard bones and daring to take responsibility, to accomplish the debt clearance work well.'

Zhang Rui said: 'Secretary-General, some debts have complexity and particularity and cannot be made public; some construction projects have not yet been accepted or audited, so they cannot be counted as government debt; furthermore, our unit's debt is enormous, and if we report it all, I worry there will be problems, and those bosses might block the unit's doors.'

Lu Fan would not tolerate excuses: 'These excuses of yours cannot be brought to the table; the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government's demand is clear: report your unit's debts without any discounts. If you cannot report to the Municipal Party Committee by noon tomorrow, Secretary Ruifang's instruction is to have the Audit Bureau help you organize them. That's all; please consider it yourself, Director Zhang, and I won't disturb you further.'

After hanging up, Lu Fan angrily said: 'Those arrogant units think they're unstoppable; do they really think the Yingjiang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government can't do anything about them?'

Zhao Tao felt at this moment that Lu Fan resembled a mayor more than he did; you're the one who's really arrogant!

After contacting the municipal departments, it was quitting time. Seeing Zhao Tao 'lingering and not leaving,' Lu Fan could only accompany him to a small restaurant for a meal.

During the meal, Lu Fan assured the mayor that he would definitely communicate thoroughly with all counties and districts tonight, so as not to let Zhao Tao be a 'follower'.

Back in the office, Lu Fan first called Ningyang Xian County Party Secretary Yang Chuanbei, because Ningyang's debt ranked among the top three in the city.

After the call connected, Yang Chuanbei enthusiastically said: 'Secretary-General, what instructions do you have?'

Lu Fan laughed and said: 'Secretary Yang, taking on this 'hard' assignment is work that must be done; you need to give it your full cooperation!'

'Just give the orders, I, Old Yang, will absolutely cooperate fully!'

'Can the debt clearance accounts be submitted by tomorrow afternoon? Ningyang's debt should be around 6 billion yuan, right?'

'Ah, this matter definitely can't be hidden from you; the total debt is 6.2 billion yuan, but there are 800 million yuan of bank loans, 1.5 billion yuan of misappropriated special funds, and 1.6 billion yuan of bonds.'

'Bank loans, misappropriated special funds, and bonds are not within the debt clearance scope; this money is not owed to enterprises either—I only need 2.3 billion yuan of government debt. Secretary Yang, this is a dead order; don't set any 'ambushes.' Once you submit the accounts, the audit bureau will go down to verify; if any county or district dares to falsify, the Municipal Party Committee will likely replace its leadership.'

'Secretary-General, are we really going to take serious action this time?'

'Governor Hong Tao's instructions—do you think the Municipal Party Committee would dare to gloss over them? Secretary Yang, report truthfully; the debt isn't yours alone, the situations in all counties and districts are similar, the law doesn't punish the many, and if something goes wrong, the Municipal Party Committee will bear the responsibility!'

'Okay, I'll follow your lead; I'll send the accounts to the Municipal Party Committee no later than tomorrow afternoon.'

Then Lu Fan called respectively the party secretaries of Anbao County Ma Yajun, Zibei County Guo Shanbo, Fangzhou County Liu Yuheng, Ding Shui County Chen Hongji, Fu County Wang Jia ming, Yan Shui County Zhang Yuxuan, and Hongqi County Li Can, all in an unquestionable tone; these county party secretaries were promoted by Lu Fan when Li Mingzhou served as Municipal Party Secretary, and they naturally attached great importance to his instructions and reminders, all taking on the 'task'.

Only Xiuyan County Party Secretary Yan Peijie, relying on his seniority, exchanged pleasantries with Lu Fan.

Lu Fan patiently said: 'Secretary Yan, debt clearance work is an important link in advancing the reduction of enterprise burdens and implementing pro-enterprise policies; you must unify your thinking and actions with the central, provincial, and municipal decision-making deployments and the spirit of Governor Hong Tao's instructions, further strengthen your sense of responsibility and urgency for doing debt clearance work well, and if any county or district engages in concealment or omission, the Municipal Party Committee will seriously investigate the responsible parties' responsibility.'

Yan Peijie likewise patiently replied: 'Secretary-General, reporting the accounts isn't difficult; the difficulty lies in how to handle these debts—should the province manage them or the city? After the debts are made public, the next step should be 'sweeping in front of one's own door,' right? Our county has no spare funds to repay debts; we can't even guarantee this month's wages! I've worked for thirty years and have seen this kind of thing many times; don't think that just because superiors are currently making a big fuss, things will calm down once the wind passes—don't take it too seriously, just get by.'

You're clearly trying to fool me, Lu Fan's temper flared, and he said: 'Secretary Yan, I have already clearly conveyed the Municipal Party Committee's demands; Secretary Ruifang has entrusted me with supervising this work. I hope Xiuyan County can look after the bigger picture, and I also hope Secretary Yan can cooperate with my work by submitting the accounts to the Municipal Party Committee before tomorrow afternoon.'

'Don't worry, the accounts will definitely be submitted!'

'Then thank you, Secretary Yan, for your cooperation; it's getting late, so I won't disturb you further.'

On the morning of December 11, the Municipal Finance Bureau, Transportation Bureau, Water Affairs Bureau, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and 16 other units involved in the projects truthfully reported their debt clearance accounts to the Municipal Party Committee, with a cumulative amount exceeding 50 billion yuan; Lu Fan immediately had the Municipal Party Committee office consolidate them according to the account format provided by the province.

In the afternoon, the counties and districts successively submitted their debt clearance accounts; in fact, they had long prepared these, needing only consolidation.

Lu Fan carefully examined the debt clearance amounts of each county and district, discovering that Xiuyan County had reported only 150 million yuan.

This is a blatant perfunctory performance; Yan Peijie simply didn't take Lu Fan seriously.

Faced with such 'provocation,' Lu Fan naturally couldn't tolerate it; he immediately had the office notify the Municipal Audit Bureau Director Luo Lin to come to the Municipal Party Committee.

Luo Lin is a cadre promoted by Li Mingzhou and is naturally close to Lu Fan. Know that the Audit Bureau holds a pivotal position in the city; previously, Sun Weidong had said, 'Let you do the work, and you all shy away; let you become the Audit Bureau Director, and you all rush forward heedless of danger!'

After Luo Lin arrived, Lu Fan handed him Xiuyan County's accounts and went straight to the point: 'Yan Shui County reported 1.1 billion yuan, the lowest among all counties and districts, yet this Xiuyan County actually reported only 150 million yuan! Governor Hong Tao personally instructed, Secretary Ruifang especially emphasized, I personally coordinated, and Yan Peijie is turning a blind eye, merely going through the motions, completely disregarding superior orders. Director Luo, after this debt clearance account is reported to the provincial government, Governor Hong Tao will personally oversee it; our city has already been criticized, so we must thoroughly uncover the true debt situation. You must immediately go there to conduct a thorough special audit of Xiuyan County, making every account crystal clear, examining the social and economic benefits of projects, the causes of debt formation, who implemented the projects, and whether there is any 'cat nip'.'

Hearing Lu Fan's anger, Luo Lin said: 'This Yan Peijie, relying on his seniority, doesn't even put a vice mayor in his eyes; such perfunctory behavior is understandable. I will immediately organize personnel to go down for the audit, but a special audit must follow procedure, needing approval from the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government; otherwise we'll leave ourselves open to criticism.'

Lu Fan nodded and said: 'Two steps: first you organize the audit team, then have the office draft the document; I'll go report to the secretary and mayor, striving to have the document approved and the process completed before you go down.'

'No delay; I'll return now to prepare personnel, and later I'll have Deputy Director Yang Shilong deliver the document; this comrade is sharp and capable, a capable hand in work, and trustworthy in character.'

Lu Fan understood Luo Lin's meaning, wanted to recommend a cadre, and said: 'Outstanding cadres should be heavily cultivated; later I'll bring him to report work to the secretary.'

After Luo Lin left, Lu Fan went to Secretary Ruifang's office to report Xiuyan County's non-cooperation and his own plan.

Secretary Ruifang furrowed her brows and said: 'There are always some people whose conduct is fickle, who pay lip service while acting oppositely, who lack vigor in pushing work forward, whose progress is delayed, who perfunctorily go through the motions, starting strong but ending weak. Nonfeasance, slow performance, false performance, indifference, harming the people's interests, placing themselves above the organization—this will inevitably provoke public dissatisfaction and affect party-mass and cadre-mass relations; the Municipal Party Committee cannot tolerate such a situation! Since Xiuyan County cannot figure out how much debt it owes, let the Audit Bureau go down to help them sort it out. I agree with your opinion; audits should be early rather than delayed, and we cannot let one county's progress hinder the city's overall work.'

An hour later, Deputy Director Yang Shilong of the Audit Bureau brought the documents to the Municipal Party Committee.

After a brief exchange with him, Lu Fan brought Yang Shilong to Secretary Ruifang's and Mayor Zhao Tao's offices and smoothly obtained the signature.