The mayor of Quartu Graziano Milia attacks the Government on the National Finance Bill announced a few days ago. “The budget law bitterly confirms what we have feared for months: it is built almost entirely on the shoulders of Local Authorities and unloads the costs onto citizens,” says Milia speaking as the mayor of Quartu, and as a member of the national presidency of Ali, the League of Italian Local Autonomies.

“The cuts to Local Authorities have very heavy numbers: 4 billion euros in the three-year period, with 570 million for 2025, of which 140 million will be paid by Municipalities, Provinces and Metropolitan Cities, which will increase to 290 million from 2026 to 2028 and to 490 million in 2029. For the Municipalities alone, there are 1 billion and three hundred million in cuts, which are added to the very heavy ones of last year, and which cannot be considered compensated by some partial, and residual in quantity and quality, measures”, he explains. “Considering also the cut to investment spending, the overall cost for 2025 reaches 1.6 billion. In all of this, it is not yet clear what the effects of the cuts to the Ministries will be, costs that could fall again on the Local Authorities. To all this", he continues, "is added the block on the turnover of 75% of hiring, which will transform into a serious weakening of the Public Administrations on the efficiency and innovation front".

For Milia, "the structure of the maneuver certifies the desire to crystallize the distributive imbalances between administrations already present at a geographical level. The territories in greatest difficulty and the weakest citizens will pay the price. Among the most significant and most serious measures, there is the cut in the fund for small municipal works, the reduction of contributions for investments in urban regeneration and planning, and the downsizing of the "National innovative program for the quality of living". Starting in 2029, the fund for investments in favor of municipalities will undergo a drastic reduction of 2.1 billion euros per year, until 2034. The planning fund intended for the safety of public buildings is also affected, with a reduction of 29.9 million in 2025". Finally, the mayor of Quartu points out, "the Fund for the planning of strategic infrastructures is also affected, reduced by over 372 million by 2032, with cuts of 20 million planned in 2025 and 30 million in 2026. The Government hits hundreds of Administrations including Municipalities and Metropolitan Cities with a blow of more than 4 billion, unloading the costs onto citizens. It is a profoundly wrong choice that risks bringing Local Authorities to their knees and affecting the services and quality of life of all Italians".

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