Terre del Reno. The Municipality of Terre del Reno closed the 2023 budget with over 4.5 million euros in surplus and increased taxes. A combination that makes Francesco Margutti, group leader of “Futuro Comune”, cry foul.
The 2023 final balance sees over 9.7 million euros in current income and just over 8 million in current expenses. This is therefore over 1.7 million euros which are added to the over 2.7 million euros already available from previous years. So over 4.5 million euros of administration surplus.
“Everything would be wonderful – comments Margutti -, if the Municipality were a company or an enterprise that had to produce profits. But the Municipality is not and must not be this.” At this point the opposition representative analyzes the rumors that see costs for citizens increasing: the Tari (waste tax) has increased overall by over 60,000 euros, “expenditure completely transferred to the bills of the families of Terre del Reno”.
Nursery school fees have risen “ask families to believe, with increases in some cases of over 25%” – The increases reach over 65% for gym and Palareno fees, “all passed on to local sports associations ”.
Then there are the contributions to local businesses: 30,000 euros in 2 years (2023 and 2024) “compared to many other contributions granted by municipalities close to ours”.
And then come the “various situations that require more attention”. Margutti lists the Mirabello gym, the Quadrifoglio park, the common health point in Mirabello, no toilet paper or copy paper at school, lack of school transport, ruined roads and pavements.
“The important thing is to say – continues the councilor – that we have saved a lot of money and that «The Municipality’s goal is to have zero debt in a few years». An easy objective to achieve if the increased costs are passed on completely to the towns and citizens of Terre del Reno”.
Another hot point of the council concerns the economic and financial plan for the cycle path from Vigarano Pieve to San Carlo. The costs foreseen by Roberto Lodi’s centre-right council include, in light of a total expenditure of €2,623,844.61: €1,500,000 from the regional contribution; €1,050,767.45 paid by the municipality of Terre del Reno; €73,077.16 paid by the municipality of Vigarano Mainarda.
“According to these percentages (25.9% and 74.10%) – reasons Margutti – the regional contribution of 1.5 million should have been divided with these amounts: 1,111,500 in Terre del Reno and 388,500 in Vigarano with a contribution of the latter of €290,945.23. We asked for explanations. No reply”.
