Official Invitation Letter To Kosovo

with the Federal Municipal Provincial Assembly to increase taxes

Lombard A group of mayors from the Democratic Party wrote a letter on the limitations and risks setting the government and the majority have given the proposal for a federalist reform, with particular reference to the decree on the federalism debate in the municipal in those days.

The coming days will be decisive for the decree on municipal federalism. The measure has undergone some changes which responds in part to the issues raised by the municipalities, especially for the immediate management of local budgets. But overall, the decree is far below the expectations and needs of the country:

1) With this increase federal taxes. From now on there will be more taxes for workers and retirees. Strangled by the Central Business Tremonti, with less government transfers and more constraints to investment in the stability pact, many municipalities will be forced to raise additional income tax, using the possibilities opened up by the decree. From 2014, with the introduction of the Hall, there will be more taxes for business, subject to a rate much higher than that currently planned for the ICI. With coupon dry instead will pay less tax the owners of rented houses, while there will be no benefit - and it's something serious - for families who live in rent;

2) With this federal common will of the special surveillance of the state. Up to 2014, beyond the partial release of additionality income tax, there will be no real fiscal autonomy, as the government transfers will be replaced by other transfers financed by the proceeds of taxes which are not managed by the municipalities. Will be introduced from 2014 a municipal taxes that will be borne largely on non-residents: the exact opposite of federalism, which is based on the principle "I see, I pay, vote." When fully operational, the municipalities will have less autonomy how much they were guaranteed until 2008;

3) In this federal state will not make any crash diet. The decree ratifying an economic policy that has downloaded the fiscal consolidation on local government, even though spending has grown much more centrally. There is no issue as to rationalize the number of provinces, does not exceed the privileges of the regions with special status, does not deal with a comprehensive reform of the system of local governments.

The PD on federalism has what it takes. We are for a federalist reform of the state, that would bring the most important choices to the citizens and distribute resources more fairly, rewarding the virtuous and efficient institutions. If today we can talk about fiscal federalism, it is thanks to the Centre in 2001 amended the Constitution in the federal sense.

Viewed from the north increased the risk of federalism that the Municipal League wants to impose at all costs is not the division of the country. The real risk is that everything beyond the propaganda, remains more or less the same. Federalism, for us, it means more local autonomy, more accountability of cost centers, real solidarity for the weakest areas. And this, unfortunately, there is not much trace in the decree on municipal federalism.