Famurs signals support for government measures.

Approximately 200 mayors from the Federation of Municipal Associations of Rio Grande do Sul (Famurs) were at the Piratini Palace to hear Governor José Ivo Sartori (PMDB) and secretaries discuss the state's package of measures to control the financial crisis. The meeting, which was scheduled to take place at the organization's headquarters, was moved to the Palace's Galpão Crioulo (traditional gaucho-style building) due to "security concerns." In front of the building, public servants from foundations whose extinction is slated under the package protested with horns and chants against the state government.

December 05, 2016, 18:24 AMUpdated May 28, 2019, 08:59 AM

Approximately 200 mayors from the Federation of Associations of Municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul (Famurs) were at the Piratini Palace to hear Governor José Ivo Sartori (PMDB) and secretaries discuss the state's package of measures to control the financial crisis; the meeting, which was scheduled to take place at the entity's headquarters, ended up being moved to the Palace's Galpão Crioulo due to "security issues"; in front of the venue, public servants from foundations whose extinction is foreseen in the package protested with horns and chants against the state government (Photo: Leonardo Lucena).

Fernanda Canofre, On the 21 - Around 200 mayors from the Federation of Associations of Municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul (Famurs) were at Palácio Piratini, on the morning of this Monday (05), to hear Governor José Ivo Sartori (PMDB) and secretaries regarding the package of measures from the State to control the financial crisis.

The meeting, which was scheduled to take place at the organization's headquarters, ended up being moved to the Galpão Crioulo at the Palácio due to "security concerns." In front of the venue, public employees from foundations slated for extinction under the package protested with horns and chants against the state government.

For more than two hours, Sartori spoke to the mayors about measures that will be adopted to "get the house in order." The governor also apologized for not fulfilling commitments he made to the municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul. According to data from Famurs, the delays by the Rio Grande do Sul government to the municipalities include R$ 300 million in overdue health transfers, R$ 100 million for school transportation, and R$ 6 million in social assistance funds.

The organization stated that it went to Piratini seeking "a republican solution." The main idea of the meeting was to present the package to mayors, but including the impacts that the measures foreseen in it could have on the municipalities of the state. However, no concrete proposal in this regard was presented.

“We are showing and negotiating that we want to create a new state. Every mayor, society, has to understand this process, and it is not a process of exchange, it is a process of reaffirming that the State of Rio Grande do Sul will once again be a state that gives hope to its population, which can no longer continue spending more than it collects,” the Secretary General of Government, Carlos Búrigo, told the press.

The secretary also said that the official government discourse has been that "they are not to blame for this crisis, but we were elected to solve it." Búrigo also admitted that the work of the Piratini Palace as a whole now focuses on convincing deputies and parties of the importance of approving Sartori's package.

Famurs signals full support for Sartori

The text that Famurs was to present with its position on the package ended up being postponed. After the meeting with the governor, the entity's board is expected to meet in the coming days to decide how the internal consultation among the mayors of Rio Grande do Sul will be conducted. The consultation should vote on full support or rejection, since it would be difficult to analyze the issues separately.

The president of the Federation, Luciano Pinto (PDT), mayor of Arroio do Sal, signaled his full support for the package. According to him, the government's plan is being "well received" among the mayors. Two of the government's base parties – PMDB and PP – together control more than 260 municipalities in the state.

“The people of Rio Grande do Sul are not seeing any return, and to maintain the state structure, the officialdom, this is unacceptable. I, as a public servant, sooner or later, my wife is also a teacher, what public servants have to understand is that in the future there will be no more resources. If the medicine is bitter now, soon there will be no medicine left,” declared Pinto.

The PDT issue

Luciano Pinto also spoke about the possibility of his party – PDT – leaving the government coalition before the vote on the package in the Legislative Assembly. The PDT will decide in a meeting this Monday whether to remain in the coalition or leave.

“I respect my party, I have history and tradition, but, look, the PDT entered the government and this is a time to reaffirm our commitment to the State of Rio Grande do Sul. I am sure that the party will not shy away from this, I respect my party's position, but I understand that if I were to leave, it would be after voting on the project, then we would be being consistent and that is what society expects from us,” he stated.

The government's leader in the legislature, Representative Gabriel Souza (PMDB), stated that the government is speaking individually with parties in its base "to convince them of the importance of approving these measures."

“Not because of the party currently in power in the state, in this case the PMDB, or because of the political composition it forms, but because of the future of Rio Grande do Sul. Rio Grande do Sul has a political position to take at the end of this year: whether it will continue with this old model that hasn't worked or whether it will move towards a new, leaner, more agile and more efficient model,” declared Souza.

According to him, the government wants to vote on the package by the end of the year. If the Legislative Assembly does not agree to put the matter on the agenda during ordinary session, the governor is considering calling an extraordinary session for the vote.