Former tram stop, Flaiano, cross-border workers and the “no to terrorism on security in Varese” – Varesenoi.it

Yesterday’s session opened with a motion from the… majority to state that «there is no safety problem in Varese». This is the long wave of the last session which ended in a brawl on the subject: «In Biumo there has been no shooting in recent weeks – attacked the majority councilor Lorenzo Macchi, principal of the motion – The citizen found injured in via Walder accidentally shot himself, so much so that a simulation of the crime is assumed. The League’s statements on the lack of security are therefore devoid of objectivity and we must protect citizens from false realities: stop terrorism on this issue in Varese.”

The word then passed to the local police councilor Raffaele Catalano, which reported the latest available data from the central statistical office of the Ministry of the Interior, which see a 4% decrease in crimes in the city between 2021 and 2022 (Property crimes -7%; Drug-related crimes – 21%): «The topic is very delicate and must be handled carefully because it affects citizens. Whoever governs a city must stick to objective data” he said.

The opposition’s response was not long in coming: «Security is lacking far beyond what the numbers say – said the Northern League member Emanuele Monti – Do a survey among citizens on what their perception is”. Hence the proposal of an amendment: “We ask that the councilor send a report at least quarterly on security in Varese and to increase the spending chapter dedicated to the local police.”

Also supporting him is his party colleague Stefano Angei: «What’s the point of making a motion to say there isn’t a safety problem? And then as long as a single citizen perceives a safety problem, a safety problem exists and must be addressed.”

The motion in any case passed, although with little practical value.

The councillor’s request is certainly more concrete Guido Bonoldi (We work for Varese) who asked the council to put pressure on the State Property Agency to start a redevelopment of the former Le Bettole tramwaylong abandoned, with a new destination that possibly has a social purpose: the motion obtained the favorable opinion of the councilor for Public Works Andrea Civati – who recalled that there is a study by the Polytechnic of Milan with various reuse options but also that the times of the State Property Agency are very long – and then collected the yes unanimously from the entire council.

Yes, but not unanimously, even to the councilor’s motion Luca Paris (M5S) which commits the council to fight against the new one health tax (3% and 6% of the annual net income) which will affect old cross-border workers (around 3000 in the Municipality of Varese). The League, the government party that enacted the law, abstained.

However, the motion and agenda that brought the council’s attention were rejected on the roads around Largo Flaiano. Luca Boldetti (Polo delle Libertà) asked to postpone the closure of via Spinelli, foreseen in the work plan of the former Garibaldi barracks, and to discuss the entire sector in a special commission (which will also see the changes to via Pavesi) to find the best solution also in light of the new Largo Flaiano. Boldetti also, on the agenda, asked to bring via Gradisca and via Lazio back to the pre-roundabout situation, to review the traffic light times at the viale Borri/via Guicciardini intersection and to restore the traffic lights at the intersection between via Magenta and via Sant’Imerio (“these are the small collateral problems of a correct work like the reconstruction of Largo Flaiano”).

Angei was added, still on Largo Flaiano, who asked for more attention to various aspects, from the signs of the new roundabout, to its lighting and the existing indications.

Councilor Civati ​​responded to everyone again, assuring that a definitive decision on via Spinelli has not yet been taken (the issue of the Corti car park ramp is the main problem), as well as on the strengthening of via Pavesi, adding that some of the solutions proposed by the minority are already under the attention of the administration and that roads are such a technical matter that they need to be discussed in the planning commission, not in the council.

Commission which, President Domenico Marasciulo assured him, will be convened as soon as possible.