Opposition criticizes budget proposal, and Durval sets the tone for the cuts.

The opposition leader in the Minas Gerais Assembly, Gustavo Valadares (PSDB), stated that, unlike the project proposed by Pimentel, there is money in the state's coffers and that the 6 billion deficit is fallacious; he also stated that the opposition will study the project and decide whether or not to accept it; in response to the criticism and already setting the tone for the direction the government will take with the balance sheet, the government leader Durval Ângelo summarized that the problem in question is arithmetic - if there are more expenses than revenue, there is a deficit; the deputy stated that there will be cuts in commissioned positions, in advertising, and in works less important to the government.

March 13, 2015, 00:06 PMUpdated May 27, 2019, 09:27 AM

The opposition leader in the Minas Gerais Assembly, Gustavo Valadares (PSDB), stated that, unlike the project proposed by Pimentel, there is money in the state's coffers and that the 6 billion deficit is fallacious; he also stated that the opposition will study the project and decide whether or not to accept it; in response to the criticism and already setting the tone for the direction the government will take with the balance sheet, the government leader Durval Ângelo summarized that the problem in question is arithmetic - if there are more expenses than revenue, there is a deficit; the deputy stated that there will be cuts in commissioned positions, in advertising and in works less important to the government (Photo: Luis Mauro Queiroz)

Minas 247- The opposition parliamentary bloc in the Minas Gerais Assembly called a press conference to respond to the 2015 budget proposal put forward by the state governor, Fernando Pimentel, which results in a debt of 6 billion reais for this year.

The minority leader in parliament, Gustavo Corrêa (PSDB), took the floor to explain the bloc's discontent with the study suggested by Pimentel. In his speech, he cited the government's alleged practice of handing out positions to political partners to create influence as a "dirty instrument." Regarding the 2015 budget, Corrêa stated that there is money in the treasury, assuming the proposed study is fallacious, and that taxes paid this year could alleviate the problem of the "supposed" deficit. The bloc said it will study the budget proposal and that it will possibly not be voted on in March.

In response to criticism from the opposition, the government leader in the ALMG (Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais), Durval Ângelo (PT), summarized the entire situation as an arithmetic problem – if expenses exceed revenue, there is a deficit. The deputy called the previous administration's forecast irresponsible, as it predicted a more than 100% increase in assets for the Minas Gerais government in 2015. According to the study released, this increase, which was 2,2 billion reais in 2014, would jump to 4,8 billion in 2015 in the previous government's budget bill – the new study, in a revised estimate, points to 2,8 billion reais, less than half of what was predicted.

Speaking on behalf of the government, Durval said there will be a cut in appointed positions throughout the state, approximately 20%. He also said there will be cuts in advertising and in works that are not of great urgency to the state. The most necessary works will be carried out with credit operations, involving the federal government and foreign companies. There will be no cuts in the branches of government and autonomous units, such as the Court of Justice of Minas Gerais, the Legislative Assembly, the State Court of Auditors, and the Public Defender's Office, as it is understood that almost all of their expenses are for operating costs and personnel.