Sirmione Council Approves 12 Billion Euro Budget Amid Criticism

The investments planned in the approved budget approved the other evening by the Sirmione City Council amount to nearly 12 billion euros. The document, presented as “strategic” by the Ferrari Administration, was however sharply criticized by the opposition, which denounced “the total absence of a strategic plan: this budget excludes important issues for Sirmione”. Even the final approval of the Master Plan, which becomes operational, received the dissenting votes of the minority factions.

But let’s go back to the most important public works, described by Alessandro Mattinzoli. The new gym will cost nearly 2 billion euros; the completion of piazza Virgilio 400 million; road maintenance 300 million; and green areas maintenance approximately 545 million. Regarding gardens, Mattinzoli clarified that the overall investment over three years reaches one and a half billion euros.

For road resurfacing, another 600 million euros are allocated. And what about the historic center? The Administration has decided on a facelift: over 2 billion euros are planned for works in the first year alone. By the end of the third year, nearly 7 billion will have been invested. “It’s an ambitious project,” states Mattinzoli, “but we must complete it so that the city center is finally improved.”

The Via San Martino della Battaglia will also be upgraded, as it is congested due to its role as a connector between the (future) bypass ramp and the state road 11. The administration will also spend no less than 800 million euros on new sidewalks: on the left side in the section between the state road and via Maddalena, and on both sides for some stretches.

Another 800 million euros are allocated to municipal buildings, and 350 million to refurbish the ground floor of the Protezione Civile headquarters. Sports? The Ferrari Administration intends to start discussions on a new Sports Center: an initial budget of 1.7 billion euros will be allocated, a sum criticized by the opposition as “insignificant and propagandistic.”

The facility, at least according to plans, will be located in the Lugana area: thus, the old Colombare field (opposite the cemetery) will be eliminated due to traffic problems in the area.

In response to the opposition’s criticisms, Giordano Signori replied that “after 19 months of activity, one cannot make budget assessments about the Administration; such discussions will likely happen in three years…” Among the opposition interventions were those of Franco Cerini (“no mention of tourism, there is a need for a permanent observatory on the sector, volunteer associations are not involved in public interventions”), Massimo Wilde (“the town is structurally aging, talks about a new Sports Center which doesn’t even have a project yet, and there is no discussion of a traffic plan”), Mario Visconti (“where are the preliminary project plans for the works presented?”), and Mario Arduino, who called on the Council to “pay more attention to environmental protection, to regain some lost ground.”

All criticisms were rejected by Mattinzoli, who spoke of “written commitments that will ultimately be honored through a policy of small but meaningful steps.”