The “Tari cut” resolution has passed the Council’s examination with flying colors and the people of Messina can breathe a sigh of relief. At least one of the hundred taxes that, even unknowingly, they pay this year will be lighter. With the “Tari light” in short A family from Messina will save 32% of last year’s Tari cost.
It’s like not paying one of the three installments. A single person can save even more than 40%, if they have a small house. But it’s not bad even for those who have large homes (200 square meters) and a good family unit (6 members) because they save about 20%. A drastic reduction, after years of growth, which have brought the average cost well below 2013 when the Tari was born, completely paid by citizens.
Eleven years ago a typical family from Messina paid 392 euros, today 297 and the projection for 2025 is 270. This cut was helped by the expansion of non-domestic areas subject to payment. Thanks to the work of the Tax Office of the Heritage, coordinated by the assessor Robert Cicala which yesterday received “bipartisan” compliments, the taxed area went from 2.2 million square meters to 4 million square meters. An increase of 80% which alone is worth 13 million euros more in revenue. An injection that has rebalanced the scales between the contribution of families, who had so far paid 71% of the entire cost of the service, and non-domestic users who now go from 29% to 52%. A maneuver that, combined with the review of the areas reported for taxation, has allowed the 30% cut for families in Messina.
And now, based on the studies of the Tax Department, Messina is repositioning itself in the ranking of the most expensive metropolitan cities in Italy. From the bottom of the list it is moving to cutting-edge positions that will no longer make the people of Messina feel like the black sheep of the Boot. For example, the traditional family of 3 people living in 90 square meters, in 2023 paid 438 euros and was the fourth highest value in Italy (behind Catania, Genoa and Naples). Now it will pay 297 which is worth the third-last place (ahead of only Florence and Bologna and behind Milan) among the 14 metropolitan cities. Messina is therefore no longer among the Cinderellas of Italy, despite the costs for the entire waste cycle being always high. There are, for the most part, external reasons such as the surge in the disposal of undifferentiated waste which in a few months has gone from 130 euros per ton to almost 400. «For the next six months – said the councilor Francesco Caminiti – we saved 1.4 million by being able to move from the Lentini plant to the one in Termini Imerese». In addition, there are 500 thousand euros for the post-mortem management of the Vallone Guidari landfill. But among the items of expenditure there are also the 70 hirings of Messina Servizi Bene Comune with which sweeping should improve (on this point Antonella Russo has asked for a detailed program of interventions in the various areas).
“The joint action on recycling and evasion is paying off. And this is beyond the reviewable policies of the Region. An average family in 2024 will save up to €140.00 per year – said Mayor Basile -. And let’s not forget that in these upcoming bills of 2024 we have for the first time also included exemptions and reductions for families in economic difficulty who have joined the call published at the end of May, who will find themselves delivered a bill with the words “No amount to pay”.