Yunling City was upgraded from a county-level city to a prefecture-level city, which was the wish of the first five leaders of Yunling City, as far as Xu Haodong knew, in the early nineties of the last century, Liu Zhengdao, the secretary of the Yunling County Party Committee who was about to retire at that time, had gone to the provincial capital many times to run and call for signs.

There are many examples of county-level cities being upgraded to prefecture-level cities across the country, including two in Dongjiang Province. At the beginning of the new century, Dongjiang Province was divided into 11 prefecture-level cities and a few years later, so that Dongjiang Province had 13 prefecture-level cities.

According to the relevant regulations, there are many requirements for upgrading county-level cities to prefecture-level cities, such as population size, economic scale, development prospects, and more than a dozen hard indicators. No matter how you look at it, Yunling City has already met the conditions for upgrading to a prefecture-level city, and compared with the two new prefecture-level cities in the province, Yunling City is more qualified for promotion.

Xu Haodong knew where the problem of Yunling City not being promoted was, and the organizational procedures for upgrading county-level cities to prefecture-level cities required the approval of the State Council at the highest, but the key was the approval of the provincial government. Yunling City failed to pass many applications, so it was stuck in the provincial government, and there were leaders from Haizhou City and its subordinate counties and cities in the previous provincial governments, and some even rose from the top position of Haizhou City, and they would not agree to let Yunling City be "separated" from Haizhou City.

Haizhou's GDP ranks second in the province, second only to the provincial capital, but the per capita index is higher than that of the provincial capital, and it is the "champion" of comprehensive development. But the problem is that five-twelves of Haizhou's GDP comes from the contribution of Yunling City, and if Yunling City is removed, Haizhou City's ranking is the bottom three in the province. Every time Yunling City applied for an upgrade, the whole city of Haizhou City strongly opposed it, and did everything possible to oppose it, which is not surprising at all.

Xu Haodong has not thought about the major event of upgrading Yunling City, which is the core responsibility of the secretary of the municipal party committee for the first term of office and benefiting one party. Not saying it doesn't mean not wanting to, not thinking about it every day doesn't mean not remembering it, but Xu Haodong is stronger than his predecessors in keeping a low profile, and he won't jump out of his mouth without more than eight or nine terms.

Li Zijian took the initiative to provoke this matter, and Xu Haodong took the opportunity to ask Li Zijian for advice, "Zijian, do you think this is possible?" Do you think this is possible in the shortest possible time? Do you think this will be possible during my tenure? ”

Of the three issues, the key lies in the third, to realize this possibility during the term of office, so that it is of practical significance, and it is of more practical significance to Xu Haodong himself.

"Haodong, it's up to people." Li Zijian said: "The upgrading of Yunling City from a county-level city to a prefecture-level city mainly lies in its political significance, and for individuals, it mainly lies in its political significance. For example, if Yunling City is upgraded from a county-level city to a prefecture-level city, your administrative level is the main hall, and the living treatment is also the main hall, even if you are not qualified enough to be promoted to two levels, then at least it is also the deputy department of the administrative level, and the living treatment is the main hall. ”

Xu Haodong smiled and said: "For individuals, it is better to say that it is political significance, but it is practical significance that makes people more clear. ”

"Is the practical meaning also the political significance, for your leader, the same is true for all civil servants in Yunling City, not to mention anything else, the administrative level can be raised by one or a half levels, and the living treatment can be raised by one level, which is a good thing for you, I am good, and everyone is good. Of course, it is of more practical significance to the development of Yunling City, first, the mother-in-law of Haizhou City has been reduced, and she can directly dialogue with the provincial party committee and the provincial government and its subordinate departments. Second, in the distribution of fiscal and taxation revenues, local tax revenues should be increased by at least 5 percent. Third, the transfer payments from the central government to Yunling City can be increased by at least 10 percent, and the special funds can be increased by more than 20 percent. Fourth, the autonomy of the economy and development has been greatly enhanced. Fifth, the channels for individual cadres to rise have been greatly broadened, and the rate of rise has been greatly accelerated. ”

Xu Haodong waved his hand and said: "Xiucai, don't look forward to the future first, you face the reality first, you tell me, how likely it is that this possibility can be realized during my tenure." ”

"This ......" Li Zijian smiled and said: "Three stinkers, can top one Zhuge Liang, or, invite Lao Xia and Lao Wang, let's discuss together?" ”

Xu Haodong hesitated, "Zijian, do you need to be in such a hurry?" ”

"My comrade secretary, there is no time to lose. At present, the relationship between Yunling City and Haizhou City is relatively tense, and the leaders of the provincial party committee and the provincial government are well aware that there will be three situations when applying for the upgrade of Yunling City at this time. First, the superior agrees, second, the superior disagrees, and third, the superior does not comment. I guess it will be the third case, and the superiors are noncommittal. But the superiors are noncommittal, it is the most beneficial to our Yunling City, at least the superiors will remember this matter and will approve our application at any time. And Haizhou City will not interfere too much with our work, this mother-in-law in Haizhou City is equivalent to decoration, for our Yunling City, only make money and not lose. ”

Xu Haodong nodded and said, "Okay, you and Lao Xia Lao Wang and they get together, and I won't participate in it for now." ”

This time, Xu Haodong was duplicitous, and his words were understated, but the small thoughts in his heart turned into strong wishes, and then evolved into practical actions.

After getting off work, Xu Haodong did not go home, but came to the house of the old secretary Liu Zhengdao.

Nothing to do in the Three Treasures Palace, Liu Zhengdao knows Xu Haodong very well, although he is nearly eighty years old, Liu Zhengdao's thinking is still very sharp, and he knows that Xu Haodong is okay and will not come to disturb him.

Therefore, after dinner, Liu Zhengdao didn't say anything about playing chess, and directly took Xu Haodong into the study, "Haodong, you have been in the limelight recently, a few days ago, many people discussed in private, saying that you only focus on anti-corruption and not the economy." Now you come up with three big projects at once, plus the restart of the downtown plaza project, and the talk about you will automatically disappear. ”

Xu Haodong asked: "Old man, do you think the resumption of the downtown square project and the development of the Dawan Islands can be carried out in the short term?" Can it boost growth in the short term and reverse the current economic decline in our city? ”

Liu Zhengdao waved his hand and said: "You are an expert in economics, I don't know much about economics, so I can't say one, two, three, I believe in your measures." But from a political point of view, your actions are very political, and governing for the people is people-oriented. More importantly, you have revitalized private funds, let private funds play a leading role in the new round of economic growth, and can effectively stabilize the situation in Yunling City, which has made great contributions. ”

"Old man, don't praise me." Xu Haodong said modestly: "Exploring and trying new economic growth points, in fact, I have no bottom in my heart, I am hard-headed. If we do not continue to reform and do not deepen reform, we will have no way out in Yunling City, I am not afraid of the failure of reform, what I am afraid of is not to continue reform. ”

Liu Zhengdao nodded and said: "Well said, what I fancy you Xu Haodong is your political courage." ”

"Old man, I have a problem now, I have come to ask your old man for advice."