Messina jumps to the top of a certainly not edifying ranking drawn up by the CGIA of Mestre, referring to the scourge of tax evasion. But from Palazzo Zanca the extent of the phenomenon is clarified, thus helping to curb alarmism.
The basis is represented by a report edited by the Association of artisans and small businesses based in Venice. The title of which is: “Escapism? For the mayors there is none, only 6 million will be recovered in 2022″. A critical message, therefore, addressed to local authorities, which is accompanied by a series of estimates. «In 2023 – we read – the central State paid half, just over 3 million euros, to the municipal administrations, as a contribution for their participation in the tax assessment activity relating to 2022. The law, in fact, provides that this recognition is equal to 50 percent of the tax recovered by the Revenue Agency following the “qualified reports” received from the Municipalities. An action, in an anti-evasion key, which concerns only some state taxes, such as Irpef, Ires, VAT, registration/mortgage and cadastral taxes”. And in 2022 the most “virtuous” Municipality was Genoa, which received a contribution for its activity to combat tax evasion amounting to 863,459 euros. Followed by Milan with 367,410 euros, Turin with 162,672 euros, Prato with 147,243 euros and Bologna with 99,555 euros. The black list includes the 1,892 euros recovered in Messina, the 1,458 euros in Palermo, the 651 euros in Naples, the 301 euros in Agrigento. The municipalities of Caltanissetta, Catania, Taranto, Cosenza, Caserta and Foggia did even worse, “were not able to contribute to the recovery of even one euro”. Of these 3 million euros of contribution relating to 2022, notes the Cgia of Mestre, in recognition of the collaboration activity with the Revenue Agency aimed at combating tax evasion – 2.1 were disbursed pursuant to of the reports made by the provincial capital municipalities, while the remaining 0.9 by the other Administrations present in Italy.
The note from the Municipality of Messina. The contribution to the Revenue Agency through “qualified reports” for the fight against some state taxes such as Irpef, Ires, VAT and registration/mortgage taxes “is a complex and very demanding activity to be carried out by the Municipalities”, says the councilor for the fight against tax evasion Roberto Cicala. This is because the «”qualified reports” made by the Administrations to the Tax Office must be timely, detailed and contain the identifying data of the person to whom the hypothetical evasive and elusive behaviors are contested. It is not sufficient, therefore, to indicate a potential tax evader by stating generic reasons. Furthermore, to draw up the investigation which will then be sent to the Revenue Agency, it is necessary for the Municipalities to have trained and qualified personnel to carry out this “investigative” activity”.