The battle of 2,500 million VAT: "Treasury snatches money from the Communities"

• Pending 2017.The PP barons charge the Government for non-payment of VAT

The Government is not going to pay the Autonomous Communities a total of 2,500 million corresponding to the VAT settlement of December 2017, and this decision confirmed last week by the Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, generates a notable hole in the regional budgets For this reason, and because they consider that the money raised corresponds to the autonomous communities and not to the Central Administration, the autonomies are willing to reach the judicial route .

That fight is led by the communities that are governed by the Popular Party, but far from the only and good example of this are the warnings of the president of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, the president of the Government and leader of his party, Pedro Sánchez. "The Treasury takes the money from the communities , and they do it so that their accounts do not go so horrible while causing the communities to get worse stops," Javier Fernández-Lasquetty, adviser to the Community's Treasury explains in conversation with this newspaper from Madrid. The Madrid region, in fact, already denounced last October to the Ministry of Finance when they saw "very clear", adds Lasquetty, that the Treasury was not willing to pay the 337 million euros owed to them.

«It is money paid by Spanish citizens and corresponding to the Autonomous Communities. In the case of Andalusia, there are 537 million euros, and what is clear is that this money has been left by the Government and that it is 2.500 million euros more than it has to make its policies ”, denounces the head of Finance of the Board from Andalusia «We don't give up any way, not even the judicial one. But we believe that the forum for speaking is the Fiscal and Financial Policy Council. It is a lot of money for Health, Education, Dependence ... », adds Juan Bravo, who will be holding a working meeting with Fernández-Lasquetty today.

From Castilla-La Mancha, the socialist García-Page has also been willing to go to court through the 130 million that correspond to the liquidation, and he did so by issuing a harsh warning to Sánchez. « I would like it to be fixed by talking because if not, we will have to go to court , when others who are already in court will even be able to comment on the Criminal Code that affects them, something that is still incredible and paradoxical» , Garcia-Page said last week.

«Q ué jeta, what nose and what face », said Alberto Núñez Feijóo a few days ago. The criticism of the president of the Xunta de Galicia responds to the fact that he considers that these funds are autonomous and are already budgeted and even spent, but, also, because "the minister herself personally assured her in 2018 that the situation would be solved," they explain Galician government sources. " He told him that he would solve it and he solved it, but the Popular Party voted against it, " they reply from the Ministry of Finance, which also explain the reason why Montero considers that the claim for this liquidation is not substantiated.

“The regulatory change of Montoro had a negative impact on the financing of the autonomous communities in 2019, when the 2017 financial year was settled. The financing system always establishes this two-year offset. Thus, it was in 2019 when it became clear that in 2017 only 11 months of VAT were entered. To solve this problem, the Government of Pedro Sánchez articulated through the PGE 2019 a regulatory change in VAT that meant advancing the self-assessment paid in December from 30 to 20, thus generating the opposite effect than in 2017. Of that form, in terms of cash, the income of 13 months would be counted with it, thus compensating the 11 months of 2017 », they add from the Ministry, at the same time they remember, as does Montero herself whenever she can, that« PP and C's made fun of this measure and voted against it, harming the autonomous communities with their decision ». " What is not possible is to collect a VAT that corresponds to an exercise that has already been settled, " they conclude at the Treasury, making it clear that they will not carry out this payment.

Homogenize taxes

To this battle between the communities and the Treasury will be added the confrontation that both parties will live in the tax homogenization process that Montero wants to carry out. "We are not against harmonization, we are against each time they harmonize to raise taxes, " says Bravo, who acknowledges that the minister does have tools to offset the tax cuts of the Government of PP and Citizens in Andalusia .

«Taxes are ceded but the regulations are state, which can perfectly make a modification that limits our ability to lower taxes. You can set in the Inheritance and Donations tax a minimum of taxation, or a maximum of bonus ... In such a way that cancels our effects, ”he continues. « We believe that in times of difficulties such as money is always better in the pocket of taxpayers . Although Sánchez's is a leftist government, they can apply our right policies. Because in Portugal there is a government of the left, and they apply our policies of tax cuts, simplification of obstacles, control of public spending. We ask you to copy it, ”he concludes.

" We do not accept that tax socialism is mandatory, " says Fernández-Lasquetty, who warns that the Treasury can only set the autonomous rates "if it leaves the Constitution", and ends by stating that Montero has "an obsession with Madrid" and with its model for which the Community has been «15 years without raising taxes».

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

• Maria Jesus Montero
• Taxes

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