Home » Politics » Tourist tax, Arena: “Frontini today eats from the plate on which the opposition spat”
Tourist tax, Arena: “Frontini today eats from the plate he spat on from the opposition.” The sum collected by Palazzo dei Priori from the tourist tax amounts to 480 thousand euros, the amount that every visitor coming from outside must pay to the owner of the accommodation facility in which he will stay, who in turn will pay it to the Municipality. We are talking about a low sum, ranging from a minimum of one euro to a maximum of 3.50 per person or per night.
The tourist tax proved to be a great financial lifesaver for the Frontini administration
A sum which, however, multiplied by the thousands of tourists who visit Viterbo every year constitutes that half million in proceeds with which the organization in via Ascenzi can afford to finance various activities. And to think that the amount collected is also higher than previous estimates by as much as 30 thousand euros. In short, the tourist tax has proved to be a great financial lifesaver for the Frontini administration, which has wasted no time in flaunting the result achieved by talking about a tourism-accommodation system which, albeit slowly, is establishing itself. But not all that glitters is gold, especially when you praise something you previously fiercely criticized.
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Arena: “Frontini today eats from the plate on which he was spat by the opposition”
The former mayor Giovanni Arena turns up his nose at the almost 500 thousand euros collected by the administration, who commented in heated tones on Chiara Frontini’s statements, reminding her of an event from the past, when the first citizen was in the opposition.
“The current mayor – explains Arena – communicated urbi et orbi which brought over 480 thousand euros to the municipal coffers, deriving from the tourist tax that my administration had increased, adapting it to cities even smaller than Viterbo. At the time of the vote on that increase in the City Council, the Frontini movement cried foul and large posters were put up around the city to denounce this increase paid exclusively by tourists. Today we are administered by confused and unprepared people who cannot distinguish what is right or wrong for the city.” And this time, it must be acknowledged, Arena is right. In 2019, in the aftermath of that vote, Frontini and Viterbo2020 thundered: “A disproportionate, inconsiderate, unjustified increase and without any plan for a tax which, although not directly weighing on the pockets of residents, can substantially affect the type and duration of tourist flows in the city”.
Mattia Ugolini
COMPLETE ARTICLE IN THE VITERBO COURIER OF 4 MAY – DIGITAL NEWSSTAND
