As a nod to those homeowners who still owed a balance under the previous installment plan, the local public works forgave any balance due.

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His position required Maehara to confront the vested local government and public works interest groups for on-going or planned pork-barrel public works projects, including some notoriously wasteful and unnecessary dams.

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They hold not only positions traditionally linked to the military -- like the defense secretary -- but also run departments such as public works, transportation and local government.

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Under the premiership of Junichiro Koizumi, Japan has slashed local-government remittances and spending on the kinds of public works that used to bring money to the countryside.

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Thousands of candidates from 50 electoral blocs were vying for 378 seats on provincial councils, which hold sway over public works projects and other decisions at the local level.

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They have borrowed not only for their own direct purposes to build public works and housing but also for enterprises known as local-government financing vehicles, whose businesses often have a low rate of return.

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Facing local pressure to spend more efficiently, these leaders are canvasing independent opinions on public-works projects and encouraging greater scrutiny of how money is spent.

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According to a National Public Radio report, Aslan works closely with villages and clears unused land so as not to compete with local farmers.

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