Benevento budget officials defend 2016 insolvency declaration

Former and current budget assessors Maria Carmela Serluca and Giovanna Razzano have issued a joint statement defending the 2016 declaration of financial insolvency in Benevento. They argue that the decision was a technical necessity rather than a political choice, aimed at preventing a total shutdown of essential services.

The officials stated that the municipality faced a dramatic financial legacy, including a technical deficit exceeding 39 million euros and over 29.7 million euros in liquidity advances. They noted that the financial collapse had been certified by third-party bodies as early as 2014, following the rejection of previous rebalancing plans by the accounting judiciary.

Serluca and Razzano also addressed criticisms regarding tax pressure, asserting that the administration had no room to maneuver because local tax rates and tariffs had already been raised to the maximum legal limits by previous administrations in failed attempts to stabilize the budget.