“Flat-tax, dismantling of the Fornero law, fiscal peace and closure of disputes with Equitalia, less bureaucracy for companies and VAT numbers, elimination of the oldest excise duties on petrol, interventions in favor of Municipalities, great national plan for ordinary and extraordinary maintenance” . These are the measures discussed on Tuesday during a Lega summit on the maneuver: the deputy premier and leader of the Carroccio, Matteo Salvini, made it known, specifying that the meeting "discussed numbers, accounts and times to implement the proposals during the term". The Minister of the Interior therefore suggests that not all the interventions will find space in the 2019 Budget law. A government summit was held this morning at Palazzo Chigi to discuss these points.
BETWEEN ELECTION CAMPAIGN AND ACCOUNTING LIMITS
The problem is to reconcile two divergent needs: one political, the other accounting. In view of the 2019 European Championships, Northern League and pentastellati must give voters the impression that they have kept the promises with which they arrived at the government, but at the time they know they cannot approve flat tax and basic income in the original versions, the costs of which (respectively 48 and 17 billion) would push the GDP-deficit well beyond the 3% threshold.
Moral: the flagship measures of the two government parties must find a place in the maneuver, but in a lighter version of the one heralded last winter during the electoral campaign.
CITIZENSHIP INCOME ONLY FOR “ABSOLUTE POVERTY”?
As for the basic income, the grillino political leader Luigi Di Maio assured that "it will arrive in 2019". On Tuesday, Salvini himself confirmed that the measure "will be in the maneuver", only to then specify that he does not want to trespass "into the field of others", because it is "a battle of the friends of the M5S, who are working on it".
At the moment it is not clear how the basic income could see the light of day next year, also because – in the version proposed so far – it would require a far from simple reform of the employment centers (managed by the Regions).
In the transition from promises to reality, however, the cost should drop dramatically. The initial proposal envisaged granting 780 euros per month to the 2,8 million Italian families who live below the relative poverty line. In recent days, however, Di Maio spoke in an interview of "5 million people", that is, single individuals. Those who, according to Istat, live in absolute poverty. Such an intervention would be much less demanding (it would be enough to strengthen the Inclusion income launched by the Gentiloni government) and could cost just three billion.
FLAT TAX ONLY FOR VAT NUMBER
The picture is sharper on the slope flat tax. The single 15% rate will not apply to everyone – as envisaged in the original plan – but only to certain VAT numbers. The aim is to widen the audience of the current flat-rate regime for those who carry out business, artistic or professional activities, to which a single 15% levy already applies, replacing the Irpef, the surtaxes and the Irap.
At the moment, the maximum revenue threshold for being entitled to the subsidized regime varies from 25 to 50 euros a year depending on the activity carried out (for professionals it is 30 euros). The idea is to raise the bar for everyone to 100 euros a year, extending the applicability of the flat-rate scheme to partnerships and corporations as well (at the moment access is restricted to natural persons).
A more recent hypothesis plans to further modify the subsidized regime, declining it on three rates: 5% for startups, 15% for those with revenues of up to 65 thousand euros a year and 20% for those with bills between 65 thousand and 100 thousand euros per year. The total cost should be between three and four billion.
"I can't expect everyone to pay 15% next year - admitted Salvini - but there will be a first step in the maneuver, many craftsmen and many professionals will pay less taxes".
GOVERNMENT SUMMIT AT PALAZZO CHIGI
“We continued to work on the economic maneuver and we will update tomorrow as well – explained the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, at the end of this morning's government meeting – We are investigating all the details to launch a financial plan that keeps the accounts in order and which allows the country to pursue a full recovery on an economic and social level: ours will be a maneuver in the name of growth in stability".
Di Maio confirmed that "the next maneuver will keep the accounts in order but it will be courageous: it will reassure the markets, but also the families in need, whose children cannot find work". The deputy premier grillino also assured that in the Government "there is no conflict with Minister Tria: there is teamwork". To reporters who ask him if the maneuver will respect the 2% ceiling, Di Maio replied: "We will make a maneuver that will make the Italians smile again and that will keep the accounts in order".
Reassuring words also from Salvini: “We want to respect the commitments made with the Italians while remaining within the constraints imposed by others. If we had to spend an extra billion to secure Italy, we would spend it. We will try to do everything, respecting what is asked of us by others, even if it is not respected by other countries".
