Rap smiles, the citizens of Palermo a little less. The City Council has given the green light to increases in the Economic and Financial Plan relating to the Tari (abbreviated Pef Tari). Document that determines the fee to be paid to the municipal company that collects rubbish in the city, as well as the amount that Palermitans will have to pay to pay the waste tax. According to the provisions of the resolution, a increase of approximately 12 million euros for the 2024 year and of 15 million euros for the 2025 year. Resources that will partly support the recovery plan of Rap itself.
Pef Tari, the increases provided for by the resolution
In detail, the Pef Tari fee will rise from 103 million in 2023 to above 115 million euros in 2024 and ai 118 million euros by 2025. A real blow to the pockets of Palermo residents, already burdened by the increase in IRPEF and other municipal taxes. Yet the Municipality has been able to do little from this point of view, apart from mitigating the effects of the SRR’s decision. The company responds directly to the ministerial body ARERA and in its calculation took into account a series of elements necessary to finance the service offered by Rap. Figures to which all other items will be added. To the 115 million euros of 2024 we will need to add the money needed by the Municipality and the money to overcome inflation. This rises to the overall figure of 138 million euros, which will drop to just under 130 as a result of some state funds used by the Municipality.
Increases in the waste tax for the people of Palermo
A drain that, therefore, the citizens of Palermo will pay for 2/3 with domestic users and 1/3 with business revenue. But how much will these increases weigh on citizens’ pockets? The “Oso” councilor tried to clarify it in the classroom Ugo Forello. “Population groups with large families will receive an average increase of 10% – claims the opposition representative -. The increase will be received during the second instalment, i.e. the balance. Deposit letters have now started with the old rate. Someone will have to explain it to the citizens.” Then he reviewed some specific examples. “Especially on the variable portion, i.e. the one which in some cases accounts for 50%, the increases are progressive. It starts from an average increase of 11 euros for an individual living alone, up to an increase of over 20 euros for families with more than six people. Together with the fixed fee, the latter will also see an increase of 40 euros, all loaded onto the balance“.
Half of the City Council was absent at the time of the vote
A session that began around 2pm and saw numerous suspensions, some of which were very long. There were moments of tension. The chaos in the chamber was unleashed by the intervention of Progetto Palermo municipal councilor Massimo Giaconia, who attacked the center-right for the numerous absences in the chamber. In Sala Martorana there were several empty benches. Only twenty diehards resisted until the final vote, which arrived around midnight. That is to say that half the City Council did not attend the meeting. This is surprising to a certain extent given that yesterday the lists for the next European elections closed. However, some people were impatient with the consideration of the exponent of Progetto Palermo. Tempers heated up in the courtroom. President Giulio Tantilo suspended the session. Streaming was replaced by the usual screensaver, but audio remained open. And in Sala Martorana there were shouts and concepts that cannot be repeated here. Nonetheless, the session continued until the final vote. Twenty, it was said above, the voters. Fifteen were in favor, four were against and only one abstained. Waste tax increases are now a reality.
