Ana Carla: "Goiás overcame the crisis through Marconi's strength"

Goiás 247 - Economist and now former Secretary of Finance Ana Carla Abrão stated this Friday, during her farewell from the Government of Goiás, that the state government overcame the crisis thanks to the determination and strength of Governor Marconi Perillo. In a speech of about 20 minutes, which moved the governor, Ana Carla reviewed her two years in charge of the Finance Secretariat, thanked the civil servants and family members who were by her side, and made a point of highlighting Marconi's role in this process.

“Goiás overcame the worst crisis this country has ever experienced. And Goiás won, Governor – once again – under your leadership, under your vision, under your courage, and under your determination,” stated the secretary, who will now be part of the team of the mayor-elect of São Paulo, João Dória (PSDB). The ceremony, held in the Mauro Borges Auditorium of the Pedro Ludovico Palace in Goiânia, was attended by her husband, the economist Pérsio Arida; Senator Lúcia Vânia (her mother); former Governor Irapuan Costa Jr. (her father); the vice-president of Caixa Econômica Federal, Fábio Lenza; dozens of secretaries, deputies, and civil servants.

Ana Carla emphasized that she is concluding her journey at Sefaz with a sense of accomplishment and, therefore, offered special thanks to the governor. “I couldn't finish without the highest honor and the greatest thanks to Governor Marconi Perillo. Governor, all of this happened because, on your part, there was trust, respect, support, transparency, and affinity—a great deal of affinity. This was the basis of a relationship whose sole objective was the results we are reaping today in Goiás. But above all, there was leadership! And no one can change that reality,” she stated.

During her review of her administration, she said that the past two years were marked by economic adversity. But none of that was enough to discourage her. “Under the leadership of Governor Marconi – and with the unwavering support of the government's allied base in the Legislative Assembly of Goiás – we implemented the largest proportional fiscal adjustment in the entire country. This adjustment proves that our commitment is to the 6,6 million people of Goiás. Goiás cut spending responsibly and thoroughly – and became a national benchmark for it.”

He explained that efficiency and expense management have become part of everyone's vocabulary. "It wasn't just the R$ 400 million in savings; it was the cultural shift and the awareness of the need to safeguard public resources that were the great achievements – still to be consolidated," he said. "Goiás recovered revenue and maintained tax collection on an upward trajectory even in the face of the crisis – and it had in the state tax authority and in the tax technicians, managers, analysts, assistants, partners who gave substance to a mission that translated into more than R$ 1,2 billion in increased own revenue."

Ana Carla recalled that all of this occurred during a period when the economy of most states contracted. “Even more remarkable was Governor Marconi's decision not to raise taxes. The results came, once again, from the word efficiency,” she said. She emphasized the results of “the most successful Tax Negotiation Campaign in the country, which, in its two editions, allowed more than 100 taxpayers to regularize their tax situation and recovered more than R$ 1,5 billion for public coffers. Without tax waivers, more than R$ 900 million in the last edition alone, almost the equivalent of a Celg D electricity bill,” she stated.

She explained that Goiás promoted fiscal education to strengthen citizenship in public schools – and received national awards for it. She listed the Nota Fiscal Goiana (Goiás Tax Invoice), as an instrument of financial education, and the pursuit of fiscal justice and efficiency in tax collection. "There were more than R$ 12 billion in tax credits, more than 230 infraction notices in just these two years."

National Leadership

She also highlighted Goiás' national leadership in the debate on fiscal responsibility among states: “Goiás led the debates in CONFAZ and set the national agenda in tax and fiscal debates. Goiás influenced the agenda of the Federal Government and the National Congress and set the fiscal agenda for the states: it allowed the initial kick-off of the privatization program, defined the tone of the debates surrounding judicial deposits, tax wars, state debts, the state fiscal responsibility law – and the revision of the federal LRF, regulation of the electricity sector, court-ordered payments, tax reform, FEX, and structural counterparties,” she said.

"Goiás overcame the crisis through the strength of the governor," says Ana Carla during her farewell from the Finance Department.

 

Ø  For Ana Carla Abrão, Efficiency and expense management have become part of everyone's vocabulary. the people from Goiás

 

Ø  The former secretary stated that Goiás' primary surplus should exceed R$ 900 million, when the target was a deficit of R$ 110 million.

 

Economist and now former Secretary of Finance Ana Carla Abrão stated this morning, during her farewell speech to the Government of Goiás, that the state government overcame the crisis thanks to the determination and strength of Governor Marconi Perillo. In a speech of about 20 minutes, which moved the governor, Ana Carla reviewed her two years in charge of the Finance Secretariat, thanked the civil servants and family members who stood by her side, and made a point of highlighting Marconi's role in this process.

 “Goiás overcame the worst crisis this country has ever experienced. And Goiás won, Governor – once again – under your leadership, under your vision, under your courage, and under your determination,” stated the secretary, who will now be part of the team of the mayor-elect of São Paulo, João Dória (PSDB). The ceremony, held in the Mauro Borges Auditorium of the Pedro Ludovico Palace in Goiânia, was attended by her husband, the economist Pérsio Arida; Senator Lúcia Vânia (her mother); former Governor Irapuan Costa Jr. (her father); the vice-president of Caixa Econômica Federal, Fábio Lenza; dozens of secretaries, deputies, and civil servants.

 Ana Carla emphasized that she is concluding her journey at Sefaz with a sense of accomplishment and, therefore, offered special thanks to the governor. “I couldn't finish without the highest honor and the greatest thanks to Governor Marconi Perillo. Governor, all of this happened because, on your part, there was trust, respect, support, transparency, and affinity—a great deal of affinity. This was the basis of a relationship whose sole objective was the results we are reaping today in Goiás. But above all, there was leadership! And no one can change that reality,” she stated.

During her review of her administration, she said that the past two years were marked by economic adversity. But none of that was enough to discourage her. “Under the leadership of Governor Marconi – and with the unwavering support of the government's allied base in the Legislative Assembly of Goiás – we implemented the largest proportional fiscal adjustment in the entire country. This adjustment proves that our commitment is to the 6,6 million people of Goiás. Goiás cut spending responsibly and thoroughly – and became a national benchmark for it.”

He explained that efficiency and expense management have become part of everyone's vocabulary. "It wasn't just the R$ 400 million in savings; it was the cultural shift and the awareness of the need to safeguard public resources that were the great achievements – still to be consolidated," he said. "Goiás recovered revenue and maintained tax collection on an upward trajectory even in the face of the crisis – and it had in the state tax authority and in the tax technicians, managers, analysts, assistants, partners who gave substance to a mission that translated into more than R$ 1,2 billion in increased own revenue."

 Ana Carla recalled that all of this occurred during a period when the economy of most states contracted. “Even more remarkable was Governor Marconi's decision not to raise taxes. The results came, once again, from the word efficiency,” she said. She emphasized the results of “the most successful Tax Negotiation Campaign in the country, which, in its two editions, allowed more than 100 taxpayers to regularize their tax situation and recovered more than R$ 1,5 billion for public coffers. Without tax waivers, more than R$ 900 million in the last edition alone, almost the equivalent of a Celg D electricity bill,” she stated.

She explained that Goiás promoted fiscal education to strengthen citizenship in public schools – and received national awards for it. She listed the Nota Fiscal Goiana (Goiás Tax Invoice), as an instrument of financial education, and the pursuit of fiscal justice and efficiency in tax collection. "There were more than R$ 12 billion in tax credits, more than 230 infraction notices in just these two years."

 National Leadership - She also highlighted Goiás' national leadership in the debate on fiscal responsibility among states: “Goiás led the debates in CONFAZ and set the national agenda in tax and fiscal debates. Goiás influenced the agenda of the Federal Government and the National Congress and set the fiscal agenda for the states: it allowed the initial kick-off of the privatization program, defined the tone of the debates surrounding judicial deposits, tax wars, state debts, the state fiscal responsibility law – and the revision of the federal LRF, regulation of the electricity sector, court-ordered payments, tax reform, FEX, and structural counterparties,” she said.

 Ana Carla also highlighted the state's leadership in privatization.  “Goiás also carried out the first privatization of the Temer government, an unquestionable success – and was praised for it. The sale of Celg D with a premium exceeding R$ 400 million at a time, I don't need to repeat here, of extreme fragility in the country. This will bring in more than R$ 800 million in new resources for investment in the state,” he said. “Now, Goiás closes 2016 with fiscal figures that deserve separate mention and special celebration. Our primary surplus should exceed R$ 900 million (against a deficit target of R$ 110 million),” he stated.

And she concluded, speaking of her contribution to the development of Goiás, a fact that made her very proud: “But what truly remains for me, after these two years, is that, above all, this was the greatest opportunity I had to contribute to the development of my State and our Country; to contribute with all my dedication, effort and work so that today Goiás is a positive reference for all of Brazil. So that Goiás is nationally recognized as a State that masterfully managed a crisis of such magnitude, that faced the problems head-on and that led the right debates, with transparency and courage. An indescribable opportunity – which I believe I have honored, having the trust of Governor Marconi.”