大阪市存廃、再び問う　「都構想」住民投票が告示―来月１日投開票

　大阪市をなくして四つの特別区に再編する「大阪都構想」の是非を問う住民投票が１２日、告示された。２０１５年５月に続き２度目で、投開票は１１月１日。賛成多数なら２５年１月１日に新制度へ移行し、現行の政令市制度が始まった１９５６年以来、初の廃止となる。地方自治や大都市制度の議論にも影響を与えそうだ。
　住民投票は大都市地域特別区設置法に基づき行われ、市内の１８歳以上の有権者約２２３万７０００人（１０月１２日時点）が対象となる。
　都構想は府知事と市長を務めた橋下徹氏が、府と市の二重行政を解消するため２０１０年に提唱。産業振興や交通基盤の整備など広域行政を府が、福祉や教育など住民に身近なサービスを特別区が担う。区には中核市並みの権限を持たせ、公選の区長と議会を置く。（2020/10/12-18:21）

Campaigning started Monday for a local referendum on the so-called Osaka metropolis plan, with voting set for Nov. 1.
   It will be the second referendum asking residents whether they support or oppose the plan, which calls for reorganizing the city of Osaka, the capital of Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, into four special wards. The plan was rejected by a narrow margin in the first poll in May 2015.
   If the plan secures a majority of votes this time, the new system will be introduced on Jan. 1, 2025, with Osaka becoming the first ordinance-designated city to be abolished since the current system of such cities was launched in 1956.
   The referendum, which will be held based on a related law, will cover some 2,246,000 residents of the city aged 18 and over.
   The Osaka metropolis plan was originally proposed in 2010 by Toru Hashimoto, who served as governor of Osaka Prefecture and mayor of the prefectural capital, in hopes to eliminate overlapping administration.