Municipality Surplus Funds and Budget Priorities in Bardolino
The Municipality starts the day with cash in hand. The administrative surplus amounts to 1.93 billion lire, consisting of nearly 200 million lire in restricted funds. This sudden wealth has prompted easy criticism from the city council opposition, which reminded Armando Ferrari, the mayor, that their proposal in February to lower the Ici property tax rate on primary residences and thus favor Bardolino residents was technically feasible.
“This is purely a political decision,” was the response from the majority’s benches, which did not hide their awareness of a substantial administrative surplus. “Partially determined sum,” recalled Stefano Tagliaferri, the budget councillor, “also from extraordinary revenues such as 200 million lire more from Ici and an equal amount from the redistribution of shares of the Azienda Gardesana Servizi.”
Use of Financial Resources
Additionally, there have been lower expenses for staff (84 million lire), educational assistance (38 million), tourist events (10 million), councilors and assessors (20 million), water services (33 million), interest payments (23 million), and services not provided by the waste collection company (226 million).
For the 2001 budget forecast, a portion of the 2000 fiscal year’s surplus, amounting to 1.269 billion lire, was allocated. These funds will be invested in purchasing hardware and software for municipal offices (100 million), a new microphone system for the council chamber (45 million), extension of public lighting (100 million), paving of historic centers (150 million), road asphalt paving projects (100 million), outdoor urban furnishings (50 million), construction of parking lots in Ca’ Nove (200 million), works in Piazza Cisano (25 million), interventions in middle schools (66 million) and elementary schools (34 million).
Thirty million lire will be used for an informational campaign about assistance initiatives, 100 million for legal expenses to the heirs of lawyer Bonomi, and another 100 million for interventions at the Disciplina church. The Administration has also allocated a total of 150 million for initiating various projects concerning Villa Carrara Bottagisio, the urban traffic plan, the underground parking lot in Piazzale Aldo Moro, the gymnasium, Calmasino square, and new docks.
