For Pere Aragonès, only a financing system that involves Catalonia collecting and managing all the taxes it generates is ideal. Any other proposal is “a toast to the sun.” A few words that come after in recent days the PSC candidate for the Catalan elections of May 12, Salvador Illa, developed a conference with a proposal that is based on the principle of ordinality included in the Statute of 2006. It is an option , that of the socialists, which “inconveniences Madrid and Moncloa less,” according to what the Esquerra presidential candidate has expressed.
“These days we will hear many proposals regarding financing; it seemed that there were those who did not want to talk about it,” Aragonès remarked in reference to Illa, “but we have managed to place at the center of the campaign the need for singular financing, our own and fair” for Catalonia. “There will be proposals that will surely be well-intentioned, but many of what we will hear will be a toast to the sun if we do not have all the resources we generate.”
The idea of ??the ERC candidate is a system agreed with the State so that the Generalitat obtains income from all taxes, agreeing with the State on a contribution and establishing a solidarity quota. “Some say it is a privilege…”, the president was surprised regarding a recent interview with Illa. “With someone who says it is a privilege, Salvador Illa, Catalonia will not have the financing it deserves,” he added while ensuring that the public service and the welfare state would suffer. “We do not want a coffee for everyone, which we would also have to agree with the autonomous communities governed by the PP and Catalonia would be left with the residue,” he reasoned.
In fact, the PP candidate for Parliament, Alejandro Fernández, spoke this morning on Cadena Ser in favor of a system that “tends towards ordinality”, like Illa.
Illa’s option, however. I pass through the principle of ordinality: an autonomous community should not lose positions in the level of per capita income as a consequence of the application of leveling mechanisms between communities. That is, if Catalonia is the third to provide resources, as is the current case, it should be the third to receive.
ERC, Junts, the PSC, the Commons and the PP share that Catalonia must improve its financing. It was confirmed on Monday during a debate organized by Pimec. But there are differences between the proposals. Some notable ones. Aragonès put his efforts into improving financing already in November; These days he has placed this petition as one of the centers of debate in the campaign for the parliamentary elections on May 12.
In a colloquium organized by the Taula d’entitats of the Third Social Sector of Catalonia, Aragonès has once again warned that Catalonia “runs the risk of hitting its ceiling” from the point of view of economic progress and social protection if the Generalitat does not have you do not obtain full control over the taxes you generate. He considers it essential for it to have an impact on public services and social, cultural and environmental policies.
Aragonès has regretted that the “most expansive budgets in the history of Catalonia” fell due to the irresponsibility, from his point of view, of some parties present in the Parliament. The achievement of its own financing, similar to that of the Basque Country or Navarra, should partially alleviate situations such as the one that caused the calling of elections. “We cannot expect an advanced socially just Catalonia if we generate the Catalonia of 8 million inhabitants with the resources of the Catalonia of 6 million” inhabitants.