Sicily, an increase of 377 euros a month for former regional councilors – Corriere.it

While a way is being sought (and not found) to contain (not to cancel) the increase of around 900 euros gross for the salaries of the 70 deputies of the Sicilian Assembly, another controversy explodes over the retouching just granted to the “ex” , with an average gross cost of 377 euros per month. The upward springboard is always the adjustment to the cost of living with Istat stamp duty which for active parliamentarians triggers a percentage of 8.1 points.

Overloaded by over a million

Even if the reduction of 500 thousand euros per year in the overall expenditure of what is considered the oldest parliament in the world is confirmed, the budget item for pensions and annuities thus goes from 16 million and 350 thousand euros in 2022 to 17 million and 500 thousand euros. An overload of one million and 150 thousand euros destined to fuel criticism even under the Palazzo dei Normanni where the precarious workers of the health companies gather and those who risk losing their jobs in various sectors.

One commission for 60 days

In a climate of growing hardship, the weight of the choices falls on the young president of the Assembly, Gaetano Galvagno, a dynamic protagonist on the island of FdI’s successes, very close to Ignazio La Russa, the same Etna center of origin, Paternò. He will be the one to seek a synthesis between three bills already presented and the one filed by the Democratic Party. Galvagno’s idea is to set up a parliamentary commission to find a synthesis within 60 days. But he rules out the hypothesis of the retroactivity of a new provision: “It will be necessary to approve a non-challengeable provision. If we hadn’t calculated the Istat adjustment, we would have disregarded a legal obligation. In the meantime, I have personally donated my share. I would not like to be remembered for the adjustment of the allowances…”.

The fear of appeals

For the most critical, the establishment of the commission would be just a way to stifle the attention of public opinion. But, as Galvagno himself fears, a cutting choice would risk triggering a slew of appeals. Also due to the discrepancy between the various positions with pensions relating to short-term or protracted mandates for some legislatures, to be calculated with the contribution or salary system, including survivors’ benefits for widows, children, heirs, with figures ranging from 600 to 8 thousand euros per month. So much so that a monthly average of 3,500 euros is calculated for each entitled person. But every explanation does not curb the disappointment of many, such as the Regional Council of Lay Aggregations (Cral) which, in the name of associations and movements representing a vast planet of the Catholic laity, speaks of “an imprudent provision” to be canceled to do “justice to multitude of the poor and disadvantaged of our land”.