After the many postponements, the last installment of the Monti government is about to end. Yesterday the long and troubled process of the Stability law in the Senate Budget Committee was finally concluded: today the House will vote on the provision (with a lot of confidence), after which the text (which now also contains a mini-prorogue) will pass to the House for the third and final reading. The final go-ahead should arrive before Christmas, PDL permitting. Up until yesterday, Silvio Berlusconi's party seemed intent on extending the voting times in order to postpone the elections, but today the Knight agreed with the date of February 24th proposed by the Minister of the Interior, Anna Maria Cancellieri, and approved by the Head of State, Giorgio Napolitano.
As in any self-respecting soap opera, the final twists were not lacking in the stability law. Compared to the original version, the law has undergone a real metamorphosis. Here are the last-minute fixes:
IRPEF AND REGIONAL IRAP. Stop for one year the possibility for governors to lighten the Irpef with a remodulation for the lowest incomes and households. Also postponed to 2014 was the application of the principle of horizontal subsidiarity envisaged by the Constitution, a provision which would have allowed the Regions to arrange deductions for the disbursement of subsidies, vouchers and other social support.
It's not over. The rule that made it possible to increase the Irpef surtax on natural persons beyond 0,5% is canceled only for those Regions that had not also increased the Irap on businesses. In short, in 2013 the Regions will be able to raise both taxes.
Last chapter: reduction of 60 million in the Brunetta fund to finance the Irap exemption for professionals from 2014 and cuts of 140 million between 2014 and 2016 for the Irap exemption for SMEs
TAV. Financing of 2,25 billion in 15 years, about 150 more than those assumed until Tuesday.
AERONAUTICAL INDUSTRY (FINMECCANICA IN PRIMIS). Allocated 8,4 billion over the next 16 years.
GUARANTEE FUND. Part of the resources for productivity wages go to the SME and Confidi guarantee fund.
POKER ROOMS. Approved a sub-amendment by the PDL which cancels the six-month postponement for the tenders that will allow the opening of another 1.000 poker rooms in Italy. Disappointed the Minister of Health, Renato Balduzzi who said he was "dismayed by the nocturnal amendments on pathological gambling which seem to reverse the direction that the government has had with respect to this issue of enormous impact". According to the minister "there is an onslaught of lobbies".
ICE. 10 million is coming to the Institute
SECURITY. New recruitment resources: 70 million.
UNIVERSITY'. Funding for 100 million.
HEALTH. After the cuts to the National Health Fund, 52,5 million will arrive for non-state university polyclinics, 12,5 million for the Bambin Gesù in Rome and 5 million for the Gaslini foundation in Genoa. Also allocated 115 million for ALS patients (70 certain ones).
MEDIA. 40 million planned for publishing and 15 for local broadcasting.
WAR PENSIONS. Confirmed the stop to taxation top taxation.
All these measures are naturally added to those approved in recent days, such as the billion and 400 million in favor of Municipalities and the increase of the Fund for the Cig by way of derogation to 1,7 billion.
