Cottarelli says too many municipalities in Italy

(ANSA) - Rome, October 15 - Spending czar Carlo Cottarelli said Wednesday that Italy has too many municipalities, boosting costs unnecessarily.
    Rewarding towns and cities that amalgamate services would reduce expenses, he said on the same day Premier Matteo Renzi introduces his 2015 budget.
    "Eight thousand municipalities are too many, you should think about a reduction that makes it easier to coordinate," Cottarelli told a parliamentary hearing.
    Offering fiscal rewards for towns and city that choose to share services or amalgamate would provide incentives, he said.
    Cottarelli, who confirmed his plans to resign later this month, has previously called for consolidation of many municipal services to cut duplication.
    He told the hearing that his proposals for consolidation initially drew some interest from the premier's office but more recently, seem to have fallen from the government's agenda.