In three months, Governor Vilela gives an additional R$ 10,5 million to the Assembly.

Alagoas247 - You don't need to be a math expert or do much calculation to realize that the Legislative Assembly of Alagoas is receiving more money than it should from the state government. Just take a look at the 2013 Annual Budget Law (LOA), approved at the end of December last year. In the budget document, the Alagoas parliament has expenses fixed at R$ 143 million. Dividing this amount by 12, the monthly expense should not exceed R$ 11.916.666,66.

 However, the Ruth Cardoso Transparency Portal reveals a different reality. In practice, from January to March of this year, the deputies have already consumed R$ 46.523.125,74 – divided by three: R$ 15.507.708,58 per month. The difference shows that, every month, the Legislative Branch receives a staggering R$ 3.591.041,92 more in its account.

This is nothing new. Since 2010, the government has been transferring amounts to the Assembly that exceed what is stipulated in the LOA (Annual Budget Law), a legal instrument that estimates state revenue and sets expenditures, with the aim of controlling public spending and preventing managers from indiscriminately using public funds. And because it is law, it is discussed and approved by the same parliament that, months later, begins to see credited amounts exceeding what is established by law. In 2010, the Assembly's monthly allocation was set at R$ 113.400.000,00. However, at the end of the year, the total amount transferred reached R$ 125.995.796,62. That's R$ 12 million more "donated" from the Executive Branch to enable the work of state deputies.

 "This scheme is common"

One of the few opposition voices in the Legislative branch, the Workers' Party member Judson Cabral reveals that there is an agreement between the State government and the Legislative Assembly's Board of Directors to enable the scheme. According to Judson, "every time December arrives, the Assembly claims it has to pay the 13th-month salary and is out of funds. It requests an advance from the State government. The government, which on January 1st usually still doesn't have a budget in effect, releases the money. It is through this maneuver that these extra transfers end up happening."

Judson Cabral further denounces that Governor Vilela makes underhanded deals with the Assembly. “During the budget discussion period, he maintains a moralizing stance, vetoing increases in the monthly allocation for the Legislative branch, because at that time the public's attention is focused on the approval of the Budget Law. But later in the year, there's this game of supplementary credit, of addendums.”

With gazetaweb.com and the Gazeta de Alagoas newspaper