Florence, 15 June 2024 – Two programs in comparison. And two visions of the city that are distant from each other but which coincide on some points. We put it together 14 themes asking the centre-left mayoral candidate Sara Funaro and to that of the centre-right Eike Schmidt to express oneself in a ‘dry’ way, with a yes or a no.
Airport: on the expansion of the Vespucci with the construction of the oblique runway, both contenders said they were in favor. And they never made a secret of it. To relaunch the Florentine economy there is a need to adapt the infrastructure. But the new route will also serve to avoid planes flying over the heads of the residents of Brozzi, Peretola and Quaracchi. “The construction of the new airport runway must be carried out with the utmost urgency, moving its axis”, states the former director of the Uffizi. “On the airport, my position in favor of the new runway has always been clear, for various reasons: with the new runway it improves the liveability of citizens who must be able to be free from low-altitude overflights, and we will have an airport that is more functional to the needs of the ‘economy and work’, the idea of the dolphin of Nardella.
Also on the Table Funaro and Schmidt have no doubts: for both of them it is a useful infrastructure and therefore work is progressing on the high-speed train and the Foster station.
Multiutility and listing on the stock exchange. As you have confirmed in all the debates, Sara Funaro intends to go ahead with the operation because it allows for a major reorganization at lower rates. Eike Schmidt, however, does not have a defined position on this point. The centre-right standard-bearer, however, raises the alarm and fears that in the event of profits it could be sold and privatised. For this reason, if he became mayor he would block the Piazza Affari operation.
Nardella resolution against the increase in Airbnb in the centre. On this issue, Funaro is determined to carry forward the act strongly desired by the outgoing mayor which blocks the creation of other guest houses in the historic center, along the lines of what Paris did, so as to encourage the return of the residence to the UNESCO area. Schmidt, on the other hand, says “no to demonizations, they are not the ones that generate overtourism, also because those who stay in an apartment stay longer on average than in a hotel”.
ERP accommodation to be renovated with municipal funds and housing emergency. Funaro proposes a plan to guarantee an accessible home for 12 thousand people with direct interventions from the Municipality and promises to invest resources for 1,500 public homes to be renovated in 5 years. For Schmidt, it is necessary to budget ordinary resources every year so as not to increase the stock of vacant apartments. To renovate 300 apartments, over 8 million euros are needed, 3 million of which can be covered by resources from the Region, from the amount of ERP fees and from the monetization provided for in the new POC.
On the Green Shield there is an undefined position of Funaro and an absolutely opposite position of Schmidt. The first reassures the Florentines by stating that there will be no tariff until 2026 and that the gates will be used to monitor the entrances into the city, especially of polluting vehicles and tourist buses which, however, will have to remain at the city limits. For its competitor, this tool does not solve pollution problems and from an ecological point of view it is irrelevant, but only serves to raise cash on the backs of citizens.
Probably, the topic that has taken center stage the most in these weeks of the election campaign is that of the projects tramways . Funaro assures: “I’m moving forward. There are financing and deadlines to respect.” Schmidt’s no to some routes. “Substantial revision of the project, aimed in particular at modernizing the sections already built, demolishing the metal poles and replacing the power supply from above with that from below or by battery”.
On the hypothesis of increasing the licenses of Taxi , Funaro does not have a defined position, unlike Schmidt. “Focus on measures such as dual driving”, explains the first. “If traffic is improved, no more cars are needed”, replies the second.
Finally the green . Both candidates promise to commit to this point. “We need more trees, for cleaner air and to break down heat islands. We will plant 50 thousand of them”, the goal of the centre-left candidate. Schmidt is on the same wavelength: “We need to plant thousands of new trees throughout the city to combat pollution and mitigate the effect of global warming that we have been experiencing in recent years at city level.”
