Four typical Valencian phrases about paella, pyrotechnics, the Paquito el Chocolatero pasodoble and one of the most recognized songs by Nino Bravo used by the Generalitat in a promotional campaign on the tax reduction have generated discomfort in Compromís charges. The regional secretary of the Treasury, Francesc Gamero, has assured on social networks that neither he nor the general director of Taxes have participated in the design of the campaign nor were they previously aware of its content.
The regional secretary for Employment, Enric Nomdedéu, has gone further and pointed out that “associating a supposed tax reduction with freedom is Ayusismo.” This leader of Compromís was referring to the refrain of the song Libre that is used in one of the four creatives of the campaign. Nomdedéu has explained to this newspaper that the message should be aimed at defending that in the Valencian Community low incomes are the ones that pay the most.
The advertising company’s game tries to explain to Valencians that there are things that they have very internalized (songs, idioms, dances) but that there are others that they are unaware of, such as that “this year you will pay less in your income tax return” after the changes in the IRPF approved by Les Corts Valencianes.
From the Treasury they explain to La Vanguardia that the four creatives must be understood as a whole and that they refer to four icons of Valencian culture that do not intend to alienate themselves from the theses of the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso. The use of the refrain “free as the sea when it dawns…” has been used because it is one of the best-known songs by the singer of Aielo de Malferit.
Thus, in statements to this newspaper, the regional Treasury Secretary points out that they are “unfortunate phrases” and that “they trivialize the social function that taxes have” for the articulation of public policies. Along these lines, the Compromís leader who sees the campaign as “frivolous and full of clichés” believes that it could have been more elegant as the Ministry of Finance has done. However, he makes it clear that Compromís has not participated and is not responsible for it.
In the Treasury, they downplay the controversy and stress that the high officials of Compromís of the Ministry did know that a promotional campaign was being carried out to convey to the public the effects of a political agreement in the regional Parliament that, they emphasize, was approved by unanimity. Regarding the final design of the same, they indicate that the company was left free.
