Reborn as a Noble's Son

Chapter 653: Chapter 609: Inspection of Land Tax_1

At the entrance of Wanghai City Tax Bureau

At this moment, it was decked out in grandeur, with banners hung high, welcoming Mayor Nie to inspect and guide our bureau.

Below the Tax Bureau’s office building, the leadership of the Party Committee of the Bureau had already gathered, lined up like soldiers ready for inspection, appearing very orderly.

At the very front was Xue Jiujin, a member of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and the Director and Party Secretary of the Tax Bureau. Such a name was rare in the system, after all, it sounded rather vulgar.

Usually, those named as such were people who weighed nine jin at birth, reflecting a non-affluent family background.

Xue Jiujin was around forty-six or forty-seven years old. With sparse hair turning bald and a belly that resembled a five or six-month pregnant woman.

Despite being October, Xue Jiujin felt somewhat hot at the moment, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Next to him, Zhang Dingshan, the executive deputy director, said to Xue Jiujin, “Director Xue, do you think Mayor Nie has some kind of agenda with such a grand visit this time?”

Xue Jiujin glanced at Zhang Dingshan beside him. Their relationship wasn’t great; one was the first in command, and the other was the second. Xue Jiujin knew very well that Zhang Dingshan was watching him closely, just in case he made a mistake.

As for Nie Zhenbang’s sudden announcement of an inspection, Xue Jiujin was also somewhat uncertain.

Recently, the situation in Wanghai City had been extremely volatile and it was getting difficult to discern the state of affairs. The city had just made some adjustments; Deputy Mayor Hu Jiawang had just been put in charge of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and animal husbandry. Now, Nie Zhenbang’s first stop had been set at the Tax Bureau, and Xue Jiujin couldn’t ignore it.

Looking indifferently at Zhang Dingshan next to him, Xue Jiujin said in a calm voice, “Old Zhang, what’s so worrisome? It’s quite normal for Mayor Nie to come and inspect our work. Is there a need to be so nervous?”

Upon hearing Xue Jiujin’s words, Zhang Dingshan began to chuckle awkwardly, feeling a bit uncomfortable with Xue Jiujin’s dismissive response.

After a pause, Zhang Dingshan laughed and said, “Director Xue, your political thought is indeed solid. We could all learn from you.”

Just as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang’s car drove into the Tax Bureau’s gate, with Li Jupeng, the first to get off the car, opening the door. Nie Zhenbang and the secretary-general of the municipal government, An Guoyu, alighted from the car.

At this moment, led by Xue Jiujin, the leaders of the Tax Bureau went up to greet them. Xue Jiujin’s face was already filled with a bright smile as he said, “Mayor, welcome, welcome.”

After shaking hands with Xue Jiujin, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, “Director Xue, your comrades at the Tax Bureau are too courteous.”

Xue Jiujin, at this moment, showed an incredibly sincere smile. His hanging heart was finally put at ease. He had been worried that Mayor Nie was planning to use the Tax Bureau as a sacrificial chicken, but Nie Zhenbang’s attitude indicated otherwise, which gave Xue Jiujin a sigh of relief.

He chuckled and said, “Mayor, it’s our duty, absolutely our duty. Mayor, please come inside, preparations have already been made in the conference room. We are looking forward to your guidance.”

After Nie Zhenbang shook hands with the other party members of the Tax Bureau, they all entered the Tax Bureau office building.

The Tax Bureau’s conference room had already been meticulously arranged. On the rectangular conference table was a ceramic teacup at each seat, and a fruit platter between every two seats.

On the conference room wall hung a banner that read, “A warm welcome to Mayor Nie and his team for inspecting our bureau.”

Naturally, the central seat was reserved for Nie Zhenbang. Besides him, on his left sat An Guoyu, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, and on his right was Li Jupeng. Xue Jiujin was currently accompanying Li Jupeng below the latter’s seat. Other members of the bureau’s Party Committee occupied regular seats, lined up according to their rank.

Surveying the crowd, Nie Zhenbang started off slowly, “Wanghai City, being a centrally controlled planning city, possesses high autonomy in finances. It operates through a local financial system that’s directly connected to the central finances. Taxes – they are the key source of government finances, and the local tax department represents the foundation and essence of local finances. I had originally intended to visit here much earlier. Due to multiple engagements, the visit got delayed until now.”

The moment Nie Zhenbang opened the conversation by affirming the importance of the local tax work, the tax bureau staff present felt delighted. Being recognized and valued by leadership signified that they were more important than the less significant units, such as the Bureau of Science and Technology or the Education Bureau. The higher the recognition, the greater the chances of being noticed and remembered by the Mayor, and consequently higher chances of getting promoted. It was a positive cycle.

Nie Zhenbang then shifted course and straightforwardly addressed Xue Jiujin, “Director Jiujin, I’m here today, all ears and eyes, expecting your tax bureau to take the lead.”

As he finished speaking, Secretary-General An Guoyu also humorously said, “Hehe, Director Jiujin, I’m rather vulgar. I brought along my mouth, too. This afternoon, I look forward to having lunch at your bureau’s cafeteria.”

This comment made the atmosphere in the hall quite harmonious. Xue Jiujin was utterly thrilled. Such an attitude suggested that the mayor was quite satisfied with him. Undeniably, the words of Secretary-General An weren’t baseless. Would he dare to speak in such a way without Mayor Nie’s consent or without gauging Mayor Nie’s opinion? Definitely not.

Xue Jiujin responded by nodding, “Mayor, Secretary-General, under the guidance and support of the Municipal Party Committee and the local government, our tax bureau has achieved remarkable results and evident outcomes. Let our Deputy Director Zhang here give you a brief report on our accomplishments.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dingshan also nodded in affirmation. He was pleased to see that Xue Jiujin did not seize the opportunity to report. Although Xue Jiujin was somewhat domineering, Zhang thought of it as a characteristic style of a leader, which was understandable.

What sort of a leader would always be seeking opinions and reading the faces of others in the Party Committee before making decisions? Wouldn’t that denote incompetence? If he were in Jiujin’s shoes, he would perhaps also act in a similar manner.

Zhang Dingshan then opened the notebook in front of him. His focus, however, wasn’t on reading the memorized paragraphs. The notebook was just an aide. It would be necessary to refer to it only if he happened to forget some numerical facts.

“Respected Mayor Nie, Secretary-General An, fellow leaders and comrades. Since last October till now, under Mayor Nie’s guidance, we have been thinking creatively and innovating technologically, striving to improve the quality and standard of our tax services. We have specially organized experts to conduct widespread visits and investigations on issues concerning individual businesses in our citywide jurisdiction. We have carried out various people-friendly policies and convenient measures, such as door-to-door services.

“The effect has been quite significant in the past year. After enduring the economic depression post the Eastern Sea Group case, the city’s industries and manufacturing have significantly improved now. In terms of tax collection, we have intensified the investigation and punishment of tax evasion. We have penetrated the grassroots, earnestly soliciting public opinions. As of September, our city’s tax collection has amounted to about 8.9 billion yuan, nearly double the amount compared to the same period last year.”

Upon hearing this, even Nie Zhenbang was shocked. He hadn’t expected that the repression of Wanghai City by the Eastern Sea Group would have been so severe.

Nie Zhenbang interjected, “Director Zhang, could you elaborate on why there has been such a substantial increase?”

Zhang Dingshan laughed. When he initially looked at these data, he too was shocked. However, upon detailed inspection and verification, Zhang Dingshan finally understood that there was no fudging in the figures. Hence, Zhang Dingshan appeared ascertained.

He responded, “Mayor, after the Eastern Sea Group went bankrupt, all aspects of the city’s economy were greatly stimulated, further aided by the development of tourism and the promotion by the city government of Wanghai City. Today, the city’s commerce, catering, and accommodation industries are thriving. Moreover, we have intensified the promotional education of tax payment obligations and enforcement against tax evasion. This three-pronged strategy has resulted in a great tax harvest this year.”

Nie Zhenbang was very pleased. Higher local taxes were indicative of a more vibrant economy, which in turn meant more local financial resources. More funds could be invested in infrastructure construction and key projects. In turn, the commencement of large-scale projects would stimulate local consumption, boosting domestic demand and creating a virtuous cycle. A tax collection of over eight billion was sufficient for Nie Zhenbang to promote several work plans.

Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang nodded without hiding his words of praise. Smiling, he said, “After listening to the work report from the colleagues at the Tax Bureau, I am quite satisfied overall. Facts prove that the Tax Bureau in Wanghai City, under the leadership of Comrade Xue Jiujin and with the support of Comrade Zhang Dingshan, forms a powerful team. Here, on behalf of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, I express satisfaction and praise for the work done by the Tax Bureau.”

After a brief pause, Nie Zhenbang continued laughing, “Additionally, I believe we need to intensify tax inspections on certain companies and strengthen the promotional efforts of tax laws. We should aim for conscious and proactive tax payments.” @@novelbin@@

As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished, Xue Jiujin looked thoughtful. His face wore an expression of deep contemplation. (