Marconi: "I did my part to ensure that Goiás didn't become another Rio de Janeiro."

Goiás 247 - “I did my part to ensure that Goiás didn’t become another Rio de Janeiro,” commented Governor Marconi Perillo regarding the approval of the Austerity Program for the Growth of the State of Goiás in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Goiás (Alego). “These are structural measures, designed for the long term. We want to make the future viable, so that Goiás continues to grow and lead in job creation in the country,” he explained. The governor is expected to sign the laws this week, as soon as the Legislative Assembly sends them to the Executive branch.

Last Thursday, Goiás state deputies approved bills authored by the Governor's office that promote cuts in the number of appointed officials and expenses related to bonuses and per diems, in addition to increasing the pension contributions of civil servants and establishing contributions from companies that receive tax incentives. Goiás became the first Brazilian state to approve measures aimed at combating the economic and financial crisis the country is going through. "These are structural and necessary measures," stated Marconi.

This is not the first time the State has pioneered cuts aimed at ensuring the vitality of public coffers. In 2014, months before the economic and financial crisis erupted in the country, Goiás was the first state to take austerity measures. By order of Marconi, the number of secretaries was reduced from 16 to 10, as were the number of appointed positions, and contracts were reviewed. "Thanks to these measures, we were able to maintain an investment agenda and keep payroll up to date," says Marconi.

States like Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Rio Grande do Sul, however, faced difficulties in 2016, such as delays in payroll payments, which led them to declare a state of financial emergency. In early December, the governors of the 26 states of the Federation plus the Federal District signed an agreement with the President of the Republic, Michel Temer, to promote fiscal adjustment. Goiás presented its proposal the following day, being the first state to submit it to the Legislature.

Analysis

The Secretary of Finance, Ana Carla Abrão, says that the financial results achieved by the Government of Goiás in 2015 and 2016 validate the accuracy and timeliness of the actions implemented by Marconi since the end of 2014. "Due to the adjustments implemented by the Government – ​​and unlike the states of RJ, MG, and RS – Goiás never delayed salaries, failed to pay its debt to the Union, or considered declaring a state of financial emergency," the secretary stated in a public note on her personal Facebook page.

According to her, Goiás opted for the path of adjustment, adopting tough but necessary actions that guaranteed the people of Goiás normalcy and quality in the State's actions. "Today, Goiás is reaping the rewards of an adjustment that pulled us away from the path of collapse that afflicted the aforementioned states and seeks to consolidate fiscal balance and the resumption of public investments with additional austerity measures," she observes.

Ana Carla states that the Austerity for Growth Package will guarantee better results for public accounts: "Goiás not only registered a positive primary surplus in 2015, but will also do so in 2016 and potentially in 2017, reversing a trajectory of fiscal deterioration, contrary to what was observed in almost all other states."