For Margherita Scoccia, the people of Perugia are at a crossroads, a clear choice: on the one hand they can relaunch the city, continuing the projects already started by the Romizi council. On the other hand, they can go back, throwing away the efforts (and money) made over the past ten years. A “brutal” choice, but this is the meaning of the message that the centre-right candidate is repeating in these last days of the electoral campaign. A close confrontation, with her challenger, a distant confrontation, not always correct: «I was disappointed by the behavior of those who support her, which has not always been clear. Do you think they claimed I didn’t have a degree? Fake news that is easily disproven.”
Guest of the Messaggero editorial team, Scoccia lists numbers, commitments, promises: «These are not electoral campaign data. I refer to a budget, to what has been allocated by the Pnnr, to what is possible to do. The others seem to make promises typical of an electoral challenge.” She says she is worried about what could be the fate of Perugia, in the event that her challenger were to win: «It is enough to see that among the parties that support her there is the 5 Star Movement which is the party of no . They will oppose the most important works for the city and then there will be trouble.”
Annoying, he minimetred down from the tower. Why? And why does the BRT become strategic instead?
«The numbers say that the minimetro isn’t working. We are paying over 7 million a year for the work. There is a disproportion between that spending and investments in the area. It was reckless to question investments in a transport system that connects only part of the city for 30 years. The BRT, however, covers 12 kilometers. It’s true it doesn’t enter the centre, but it doesn’t affect current spending because it was done with Pnrr money.”
Starting from mobility, there are those who say that you have done little for young people.
«No way. We were the only administration that provided money for bus tickets for students. Others put it in the programs. There is a vitality in the center that hasn’t been seen for ten years, young people are the protagonists. We invested 68 million of the school plan, no one has ever done it. Doesn’t this mean putting young people at the centre? Work is starting on the accommodation for university students in San Francesco al Prato, then it will be the station’s turn. There will be a department at the University which will be combined with School and Sport.”
What role will Perugia have in Umbria with Margherita Scoccia as mayor?
«The city-region concert that we inherited from the old politics must be overturned. Perugia has a different propulsion role from the rest of the territory. Would you ever imagine Tuscany without Florence? There are other important city realities, but the economic and cultural push must come from the capital. We must imagine policies that go beyond municipal borders. We need rebalancing policies, not land consumption. If Corciano has used all the commercial spaces there is an impact on Perugia. I think of a metropolitan city”
The center-left has pushed hard on the issue of healthcare. Does it bother you how you see the mayors’ protagonism on this issue?
«I say that one cannot speculate on such a delicate topic. Let’s think back to what healthcare was like in 2019, what Concorsopoli was, the Municipality of Perugia is an injured party. And Monteluce? We’re fixing that damage too. In recent years we have managed bankruptcies: Monteluce, the subsidiaries, the budget hole. In ten years we have rebuilt the city, this journey cannot be interrupted. On healthcare, the left has never activated the conference of mayors. Now the leader, chosen unanimously, is deputy mayor Tuteri. It must become a real tool both for the choice of a CEO and for the management of the hospital.”
He spoke of a hole, but also of accounts put back in order. Will the municipality be able to reduce the tax burden?
«In July there is the budget adjustment. We will intervene on the TARI which has grown, it must be remembered, less than inflation.”
Soccia and how will you get around the Curi stadium?
«It is the secular cathedral of the city. In recent years we have done what had never been done, I am thinking of the works on the north curve. We need an important intervention and we need to discuss it with the city. We have obtained funds to intervene in a concrete way, there is a partnership proposal that arrived in May to which they could not, for obvious reasons, respond immediately. Subsequently I do not deny a dialogue to see if there are points of contact. But always in the interest of the city and nothing else.”
The first act of Margherita Scoccia mayor.
«There will be two. One of ordinary management and one of perspective. Immediately a single contract of 40 million to fix the roads, as part of a 100 million ten-year plan for roads, decoration and greenery. And then start the revision of the master plan which must be linked to the closure of the Pnrr interventions in 2026 to also give continuity to the economic growth that those funds are bringing. It will be an elastic tool, capable of intercepting new resources and which will allow us to understand the Perugia of the future today.”
What will become of Andrea Romizi?
«Andrea, I call him that because in politics you can also be friends, he is a resource for the city. We will identify the route from the next day.”
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