“From 700 thousand euros to one million and 400 thousand euros, this is the forecast loss of the Health Society’s budget. To maintain services in 2024, the Municipality should give 34 euros per inhabitant instead it only pays out 30 and no one draws on the poverty fund of 400 thousand euros, this is a sign of management inefficiency on the part of SDS”. The complaint comes from Francesco Auletta, municipal councilor of a municipality. “These figures – continues Auletta – are according to what was reported by the director of the SDS in the session of the second council commission which took place at our request after we had denounced this emergency situation in recent months”. The fee paid by the Municipality of Pisa and all the other municipalities in the Pisan area from San Giuliano Terme to Vecchiano “is among the lowest in Tuscany, we are talking about 30 euros when 34 euros should be paid. But we already know that provided budget review, they will not be paid”: continues the councilor. The costs of residential facilities for minors have also increased which, as the SDS Management attests, are not predictable costs because placements are often ordered by the Courts. And then there are other expenses, such as those for facilities for the disabled, all relating to fundamental services that should be guaranteed a priori by the municipalities, but not in Pisa because the rights are not compatible with the budget.
“This happened because for years the Municipalities of the area have foreseen a capitation quota – the quota per inhabitant paid to the SDS for the financing of social and health services – among the lowest in the regional territory. The very serious thing is that the Municipality of Pisa, at the like the other municipalities, as explicitly stated yesterday by councilor Bonanno, opposes this increase, thus putting the maintenance of services at risk for 2024 as well”. In addition to the chasm of the gap between the needs of the population and the scarcity of resources, another problem has come to light. “With the current structure, the Health Society is not able to plan, allocate and optimize resources. An example is given by the fact that, according to what was reported by the Director herself, in the last two years the SDS has not has spent hundreds of thousands of euros, around 400 thousand for 2022 and the same for 2023 of the Ministerial Poverty Fund. A fact for which the president of the SDS and all the Municipalities must answer to the citizens. It is important, in fact, that the community knows that beyond the propaganda of charity welfare, the real risk is that rights will be taken away, giving the final blow to the already fragile public service. Hence our proposals to put rights back at the center by adequately financing the fundamental services for dignity of all”.
Carlo Venturini
