The approval of the budget 2025/2027 was the main theme of the City Council, held, for the temporary unavailability of the Battaglia hall, in the repaci classroom of Palazzo Alvaro. The budget document passed with 18 in favor, 9 against and an abstention.
The words of the mayor
During his intervention the mayor Giuseppe Falcomatà He thanked the presidency of the city council for “the high level of democracy and the institutional humility with which the work is carried out without having a ambition to give lessons. We are proud of what we have done in these 11 years, the earthquake victim is the one we inherited and today we deliver a city restored in the tax, in the administration and above all in the spirit. That of not declaring the instability was a political choice that allowed the companies and to the traders. Professionals to be repaid of all their credits (not 14%) and allowed him not to have to go and to be able to return to trust the public body. After. In this city a miracle has been accomplished, Reggio is an example of how, with foremier and careful management, public coffers can be restored even at the cost of making important decisions. And we in 2014 took on an important choice. “
Returning to this “Congratulations because the budget is approved one month in advance – said the first citizen – I concerned the 2012 documents, when the discussion on the budget was made in November, so we took a few steps forward. In remembering the data I would start from the deficit of 400 million euros in 2014 while today we are at 190 million. An increase in collection should be highlighted, the consolidation of the service company. Once the billion in public works passed, with regard to change cities “.
A clarification on new hires
“There has been talk of the fixed -term policemen. Only in 2024 there are 23 local police officers who will be stabilized, more eighteen hired with competition. In order not to mention 40 social workers hired in 2024 and there will be 26 other in 2025”. The mayor then recalled how in silence “the 4 and a half billion cuts for the budget law to the municipalities, made by the government, of which one million only for the Municipality of Reggio have passed. I did not hear shields. Just as for the 35 million of the credit fund of the debts of dubiousness, even in this case no one has said anything for the city. Despite these squads we have closed the budget”. At the end of the intervention, the mayor recalled the suggestion offered by the Chinese word shu. “It means – said the mayor – to bring the other to the heart, that is, not a simple empathy, but really keeping something by bringing it within itself. And in recent years we have brought our fellow citizens in the heart. Without this we cannot do politics. What animates you cannot be the resentment or the sense of revenge. And we have been, we are and we will be the care for this city, which from today, even more with this budget, Leaving alone, because it will be accompanied by this political class which has shown its foresight in recent years and will continue on the path started “.
The intervention of the councilor Battaglia
To illustrate the budget, the Councilor for Finance of the Body, Domenico Battagliawhich highlighted that “the budget scheme subjected, thanks to the indications provided to this administration, in the overall planning included in the DUP, respects the principles of general accounting and the balance of current legislation. The budget maneuver amounts to 709 million euros. As you know, for some years, the criteria and general parameters that supervise the report of the budget, keep the pact as an important point of reference as an important point of reference. Signed with the State, signed with the President Draghi, who has sealed a path of credibility compared to the municipal administration. 2024 “.
“Today everything returns – he concluded Battaglia – and our budget is healthy, I thank the mayor Giuseppe Falcomatà who, at the time of his settlement, has decided, taking the risk, not to declare the financial instability. A suffered decision, but undertaken with foresight, the way to restore the finances, today and even more tomorrow, when the commitments of the pacts will be freed will be chosen, which will allow the budget. The intergenerational equity pact will have been honored which can allow a better future for Reggio “. Following the enunciation of the activities carried out for the report by the Manager Franco Council.
The discussion
Today’s meeting of the City Council opened with the request for a minute of silence from the city councilor Filippo Quartuccio who expressed solidarity for the numerous victims of the earthquake in Myanmar. “This land knows well the difficulties that those territories are experiencing, – he said – but it is from the pain that you feel that it is reborn and this is the wish we do, remaining close to them with the heart”.
During the discussion on the budget, the group leader of the Democratic Party, Giuseppe Marinothanked for the work done by the commissioner Battaglia, the Finanza and Franco Council office, the Board of the Auditor. He quotes Andreotti then to remember that “wisdom is not proper to those who claim to want to give lessons to others, there is a heart of heart that goes beyond knowledge and curriculums”. A clear message launched after the long intervention of the opposition councilor, Antonino Minicuci who enters the Council, according to Marino: “With the illusion of wanting to teach others, thinking of giving lessons”. The regret for Marino is not to have had in the Civic assigned the same minicuci 15 years ago, “in the era of the financial statements of creative finance, in which funds were distracted with unscrupulousness, he would certainly have been able to give advice. Today’s budget is not the book of dreams, as in the past it happened, but it is serious and true, as well as all the economic documents that the administration has produced and as certified by the Court of Auditors”. The councilor then highlighted some positive elements that emerged from the budget in relation to the services offered to the person, such as the school canteen to 2,550 children, the school bus service to 650 students of the city, investments for a share greater than 200 million euros for planning, programming and design. An equipment, however – concluded Marino – put at risk by the national government that lacks approaching about ten million resources (PON, Poc and Pnrr), causing a lack of liquidity that puts the holding of companies at risk “.
The councilor Antonino Castorina He clarified: “I listened to the reflection of the councilor Minicuci who could have confronted the black councilors and Marcianò since they were on this side, when the return plan was in force and it could not be spent and that, also thanks to their commitment, we managed to overcome the stall situation. We remember that choice of courage that has seen all of us protagonists, we cannot make a Damnatio Memoriae of what we have voted. The budget commission, chaired by Pino Cuzzocrea, does not seem to me to be amended by the opposition to the budget or DUP, today’s reflections have not had the necessary consequence within the headquarters compared to the intentions placed today. The future of the city “.
The councilor Giuseppe evening He congratulated the Finance Sector for the work done “With the wish to continue on this mission that brings results. I followed the intervention of Minicuci: it is easy to throw notes in the Commission or to the City Council. In the Commission I placed attention in a proactive way on things that must be improved and, before saying the points that can be improved, I specified the causes and solutions, this is the exercise of the role of councilor in the commission and is a loyal confrontation. A document of the budget because it for 9 years that, entrusting us to Franco Consiglio, we bring results. to take a position, choosing the most difficult path, but with the consciousness of the good father of the family “. During the declaration of vote, the councilors Antonino Zimbalatti, Franco Barreca intervened.