Reggio, battle over the budget: Majority rejoices, Opposition…

Town Council combative but calm and without controversy (and it’s already news) a Reggio Calabria. Today, in the Battaglia Hall, we talked about Forecast budget 2024-2026, following the OK in the Commission and the approval of the DUP. After the interventions of Councilor Battaglia and the Council Manager, a long back-and-forth between the Majority and the Opposition. In the end, after the last speech of Mayor Falcomatà, the Budget was approved with 16 votes in favor and 11 against.

The interventions of Marcianò, Neri and Milia

However, the interventions, as we were saying, were aggressive. Let’s start with the Oppositions. The first, Angela’s Marcianòwhich was followed by Armando’s irony Blacks and the beatings of Milia on the summer season and on the increase in parking costs.

Demetrio Marino between Pnrr, Reggio decree, baby bonus

For Demetrio Marino “We have emerged from a swamp, but not from these difficulties, which continue to exist, even if the horizon is closer. A less conservative and more expansive attitude would have been necessary. There is talk of 240 million in investments, but nothing has changed compared to last year. It was all carried over from last year to this year. Pnrr? Many projects are suggestions. The Reggio decree has been draining public resources for years, but the results are not visible, there is no definition. In the budget there is no mention of the birth rate decline. In our Municipality there is no baby bonus. In a city that has lost 20 thousand people…”.

Cardia: “only one positive note in this balance sheet”

According to the League Councilor Cardia, “the only positive measure comes from a political action by us opposition councilors and is the transition to full-time employees pursuant to law 15 and former law 31. For the rest it is an empty budget without measures that will have an impact on the lives of our fellow citizens. The caress on the Tari is not enough for those who are up to date with their taxes, the recovery plan is finished and the gift for the people of Reggio was the increase in the cost of parking in the historic center, a measure to be revoked immediately No programming for the associations in our area that with enormous sacrifices “take charge” of the Reggio summer every year. Not to mention the failure to change the regulation on gazebos in the historic centre, here too a year ago the proposals of the trade associations and of us councilors in the sixth commission without any response, another unfulfilled commitment of an administration now truly in the final rush. The only positive aspect is the result of political action carried out by the entire opposition with continuous questions and motions and is the increase to 36 hours of stabilized employees pursuant to law 15 and pursuant to law 31. We were the only ones to take action policies in the interest of the community. The employees anxiously await the transition to full-time, the duty of those who work in politics and represent the institutions to protect them and guarantee them the right economic livelihood”.

Minicuci: from amnesty to collection, “nothing has changed”

Mini sewing machines He rattles off the data, as he usually does: “Nothing has happened in a year. The amnesty problem has not been resolved. At the end of the second Falcomatà legislature we still have 30 thousand pending cases. I heard Castorina and also Versace who talked about participatory budgeting and tax reduction. Let’s talk about data though: the collection of IMU and TARI is only a few percentage points. In Genoa it is over 60%. The hiring issue is important, but it could have been done two years ago.”

Barreca: “watershed goal”

From the Opposition to the Majority. Several Councilors applauded the Mayor and Councilors Calabrò and Battaglia for this budget. Starting from Barreca: “As PD we are happy for the work done by the Mayor regarding the balanced budget, for the first time in many years. The first important choice is yesterday’s, with help in difficult categories for Tari. This period is a watershed, it is a goal, and in my opinion anyone looking for technicalities is wrong. The budget is structured in a meticulous manner.”

Castorina: “it’s a generational balance sheet”

Then he speaks Castorina: “For our Democratic and Progressives group, the reflection on the budget is positive. For the first time we are able to evaluate it after leaving the rebalancing plan and this cannot be trivial. This budget puts a first step towards the generational challenge that concerns those who come after us. I agree with a stimulus that Marcianò gave us, the fight against tax evasion, and we see that compared to the past there are several steps forward. Tourism is one of these. Now our Municipality is projected towards normality, with a normal budget in a normal city”.

Versace: “the budget looks at a just city project”

For Carmelo Versace “In the crisis context we find ourselves in, cities must look at sustainability and resilience. The budget looks at a just city project. There are no cuts, there is a planning of resources on investments, there is the fight against tax evasion, there is a fair amount of fiscal autonomy for the institution, there is the work done on Castore’s workers. Today there is no precarious employment, but I remember the difficulties. We certainly haven’t solved citizens’ problems, but looking at those who can’t cope at the moment is a signal, in reference to the Tari contribution for the weak phases. This budget is unprecedented in the last 10 years.”

Novarro: “let’s remember how we got to this and how we got out of it”

“I used to hear about swamps, but let’s always remember how we got to the swamp and how we got out of it. It cannot be denied that citizens have made sacrifices in recent years, and it cannot be denied that more must be done, but there are some important ideas.” As Novarro in the City Council.

Sera: “I’ll tell you why it’s a balance of courage”

Evening instead he replies to Cardia: “Don’t be scandalized by what I say though, Doctor Cardia, we see spectacles every day. Jokes aside, I say that we are all right in this House. While some of us spoke, I thought about perspective, point of view. From this side I can only highlight the positive things in this Administration’s budget. I have heard about courage: well, for me, signing up as City Councilor in 2014 was an act of courage. I learned that rates cannot be lowered, but contributions can be made. After years we see a thread of hope. The second act of courage was saying no to bankruptcy in 2014. We couldn’t make the entire city bear the responsibility of a few. The third act of courage: the salvation of ATAM”.

Ravine: “zero job insecurity, great achievement”

“We have decided that instead of entertaining this city, we govern it. With courage. It took courage to say no to the collapse and to go through these 10 years with tears and blood. Reggio Calabria is a municipality with zero precarious employment, this is also a goal that comes from afar”the words of Ravine.