Zema opens the safe, changes style and becomes a game in the Assembly – 04/26/2023 – Politics

Two laws and two amendments to the state Constitution, all in the interest of Governor Romeu Zema (Novo), were approved on the same day in the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais.

This is a feat in the first months of the governor’s second term. In its first administration, Palácio Tiradentes had the support of no more than 20 of the 77 deputies in the House, an insufficient basis for the approval of relevant projects.

Approvals of laws and amendments to the Constitution took place on Wednesday (19). The change in the relationship between the governor and the Assembly has two explanations: one, of style. Parliamentarians claim that Zema expanded dialogue with deputies. Before, contact was only with those who supported him in the House.

The other may be connected with the votes on the fourth. On the occasion, it was approved, within one of the PECs (proposed amendments to the Constitution), a change from 1% to 2% of the amount reserved in the Budget for the payment of so-called tax amendments to state deputies, the resources that the government transfers to parliamentarians for indication of works in their bases.

The leader of the government in the House, Gustavo Valadares (PMN), assesses that the change in the percentage does not influence the attraction of votes in favor of Palácio Tiradentes and, in fact, gives independence to parliamentarians.

“Now is the time for an independent Assembly, of independent deputies, who think about each vote independently”, he says.

Valadares also states that, with this independence, it is necessary to work constantly on convincing the deputies.

“I don’t want to celebrate a victory before it’s time. Last week was very good, but we have many projects that will be forwarded to the House that will need victories. It’s one day at a time”, he says.

Zema is interested in a second term in Brigadier’s Heaven. The governor of Minas Gerais does not hide his intention to put himself in the running for the Planalto Palace in 2026. In his victory speech in 2022, upon hearing shouts of “president” he replied: “who knows?”

At the same time, a smooth administration would strengthen his deputy, Professor Mateus (Novo), a likely candidate for his succession.

Resources for tax amendments to deputies are required to be paid. Half, by law, must be applied in the health area.

The doubled percentage becomes effective in 2024. The following year’s budget is submitted for voting in the Assembly in September.

If the change were valid for 2023, to give you an idea, this amount would increase from R$ 15.5 million to R$ 31 million. This calculation is based on a statement by the Secretary of Government, Igor Eto, in February this year – before, therefore, the approval of the change.

According to Zema’s assistant, the total resources for tax amendments in 2023 is R$ 1.2 billion.

Among the texts approved on Wednesday is a bill that promotes an administrative reform in the state, with the creation of two secretariats: the Civil House and the Social Communication, to which the state-owned TV Minas and Rádio Inconfidência will be linked.

One of the approved PECs withdraws the Detran (Minas Gerais Traffic Department) from the Civil Police, transferring it to the Planning Secretariat, which becomes responsible, for example, for vehicle licensing, freeing up police officers for other functions.

A proposal was also approved that obliges the government to adopt sustainability as one of the principles of public administration in the state. Within it, an amendment was approved that increases from 1% to 2% of the budget the amount reserved for the payment of tax amendments to parliamentarians.

The approval of a PEC by the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais requires the “yes” vote of at least 48 of the 77 deputies of the House.

The votes on Wednesday also included a bill that increases the salary of the governor, deputy and secretaries. In the case of the salaries of the head of the Executive Branch of Minas Gerais, the value was readjusted by 258%, to R$ 37.5 thousand. The justification is that the salaries of the top echelon were lagged.

Bills are easier to approve and pass with a “yes” vote by a simple majority of the legislators present at the session.

Zema currently has two support blocks in the Assembly. One, Minas em Frente, is the largest of the three in operation in the House, with 33 deputies. This block has nine parties and in it is Novo, the governor’s legend.

The other block from which Zema votes are cast is Avança Minas, also with nine parties and 24 deputies. In it is the MDB, party of the president of the Assembly, Tadeu Martins.

The third block is the opposition, called Democracy and Fight, with five parties and 20 parliamentarians. The leader of the block, Ulysses Gomes (PT), did not respond to questions sent to his cell phone by the report. Questions were also sent to the congressman’s communication office, but there was no response.

Rival out

Lieutenant Governor Professor Mateus says that the new relationship with the Legislative Assembly is due to the departure of the former President of the House, former state deputy Agostinho Patrus, now a member of the TCE (State Court of Auditors).

“Without Agostinho, the relationship tends to be like this, more pleasant”, says Zema’s deputy. Mateus says that the trend is that the guidelines in the Assembly are now moving forward gradually. One of the functions of the President of the Legislative Power is to establish texts that enter the voting agenda.

Agostinho Patrus, when deputy, was affiliated to the PSD, the same party of the former mayor of Belo Horizonte, Alexandre Kalil, defeated by Zema in the election for the state government last year.

The adviser’s advisory stated that the former deputy would not take a position in relation to the deputy governor’s statements because he was focused on his duties at the TCE.