Brescia City Budget 2001: No Tax Hikes, Public Works, and Investments
The City Council approved the 2001 budget forecast. Taxes and levies remain unchanged, and numerous public works are planned. As has become customary in recent years, the budget and economic activity assessor Corrado Mancini has written a letter to all heads of families to explain the financial plans and programs.
Revenue and financial management
“We managed to balance the 2001 forecast budget without resorting to tax increases,” explains Mancini. “In fact, the Irpef surcharge has remained at the unchanged rate of 0.2 percent, and the Ici remains at 4 per thousand on primary residences and 5 per thousand on other properties. The only increases are in water consumption and waste collection rates, adjusted for inflation.”
Among the main revenue sources, over two billion lire come from Ici, an equal amount from state and regional transfers, while two billion six hundred fifty million lire will be obtained through loans. One and a half billion are projected from land sales, 1.365 billion from building permit revenues, 1.165 billion from water services, and 605 million from waste disposal taxes. Additionally, 624 million are allocated for education, and 411 million for mortgage repayment installments.
Forecasted expenditures include 384 million lire for the social sector, 300 million for the technical office, over 200 million for sports and similar amounts for roads and transportation, and 200 million for culture. Mancini continues: “Among the main projects is acquiring an area for the construction of a new Carabinieri station, as the territorial organization of the Carabinieri should include a Company headquarters in Affi and retain the station in Cavaion.”
Public works and investments
An allocation of one and a half billion lire has been set aside for creating new community spaces and acquiring land for a residence for the elderly. Another billion and a half are planned for completing the sports facilities in Cavaion and Sega. Additional projects totaling 820 million lire involve road improvements, the construction of new parking facilities, and an increase in public lighting.
Eight hundred million lire, already included in last year’s budget, are allocated for this year’s work on Piazza della Chiesa and Viale della Rimembranza, which have yet to be carried out. Half a billion is also planned for upgrading the water and sewer networks, 450 million for expanding the kindergarten, and 425 million for completing the renovation of Centro Torcolo.
The completion of existing cycling lanes is expected to cost half a billion, of which 350 million will come from Venice, and a further 300 million is budgeted for parks and green spaces improvements.