Rodrigo Pacheco: I note that we have now approved a bill that concerns the State of Rio de Janeiro regarding municipalities that have semi-arid characteristics and therefore need to be benefited, recalling that, some time ago, we included 81 municipalities from Minas in the Sudene area — in addition to those already included, other municipalities, especially in the Governador Valadares region — which were greatly benefited by this initiative of the Brazilian Parliament.
Rodrigo Pacheco: At the time there was a presidential veto, which was overturned in a session of the National Congress, ensuring that those 81 municipalities would benefit from inclusion in the Sudene area and, consequently, from access to more advantageous public policies.
This initiative also adds to a decision made by the National Congress to relieve municipalities with up to 156,000 inhabitants from payroll charges.
Rodrigo Pacheco: That was a Federal Senate bill, authored by the Federal Senate, approved by the Senate and by the Chamber of Deputies, and which we long fought to have maintained.
Rodrigo Pacheco: It resulted in a reduction of the rate from 20% to 8% for small and medium-sized municipalities across Brazil, especially in Minas Gerais, which is the state with the largest number of municipalities in the Republic — 853 municipalities.