Helsinki Mayor: Helsinki metropolis would provide Vantaa citizens with better services

Jussi Pajunen

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According to Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen (Nat. Coalition Party), a merger of the neighbouring cities of Helsinki and Vantaa would improve the services of Vantaa citizens, reduce bureaucracy in administration, and save money.
      ”If the two cities are linked, we have to start from the assumption that the merger would bring financial benefits which in turn would render better basic services”, says Pajunen.
      Pajunen believes that better services could be provided, as in a metropolis the administration behind services could be centralised. According to his vision, all schools, daycare centres, and health centres could be located near residents, and they would also be given decision-making powers as to the way of providing their services in the best possible way.
     
On Monday, the Helsinki City Board made an unanimous decision on proposing to Vantaa that a study be conducted to assess the positive and negative effects of merging the two cities.
      ”The issue has been so much debated that now it is time to find some facts”, said Suvi Rihtniemi (National Coalition Party), the chair of the City Board, explaining why such a decision was reached.
      The Vantaa City Board is to give its response to the proposal next Monday, and an answer from the Vantaa City Council is due in two weeks.
      ”If Vantaa has any responsible politicians, they are certainly willing to launch such a survey”, says Tapani Mäkinen (National Coalition Party), the chair of the Vantaa City Board.
      In Helsinki, the proposed merger assessment enjoys broad political support, while in Vantaa only the National Coalition Party and the Green League are in favour of the study, while all left-wing parties are opposing it.
      A poll conducted by Helsingin Sanomat in January found that a majority of members on the Vantaa City Council were in favour of studying the feasibility of a merger.
      However, Sirkka-Liisa Kähärä, the chair of the SDP group at the Vantaa City Council, says that instead of studying the feasibility of a linkage of two cities, the effects of merging the entire Greater Helsinki area should be assessed.
      The merger of Vantaa and Helsinki would not solve any major regional problems, Kähärä adds.
     
If such a feasibility study is to be launched, the aim is to complete it by the end of the current year. The issues to be examined include the use of land, the organisation of services, finances, and municipal democracy.
      Provided that the City Councils of the two cities are in favour of the merger after the study has been completed, the proposed merger would probably take place in 2013, when the term of the present Council ends.
      ”But if a consensus of opinion exists, the actual linkage could be implemented very quickly”, says Mayor Pajunen.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsinki to propose study on possible municipal merger in capital region (22.1.2009)
  Possible Helsinki-Vantaa merger could be examined soon (28.10.2008)

See also:
  Government not ready to boost Greater Helsinki metropolis (19.1.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat