The mayor of a small Liguria town
in Genoa province panhandled on the local cathedral steps Monday
to protest the fact that taxpayers' money doesn't come back.
"I am begging to help my town," said Antonio Bigotti, the
mayor of Savignone, population 3,200.
"It isn't right that money paid by my fellow citizens
should end up in big city dwellers' pockets," said the mayor,
who was elected on a civic list.
"It must remain (here)".
Hat in hand and with a friend playing guitar nearby, the
mayor said he put together "10 euros so far".
The money will be donated to an association working in
post-flood reconstruction, he said.
Liguria was hard hit by torrential rains, floods and
landslides that killed at least eight people in northern Italy
in October last year.
The government said at the time that budget constraints
would not prevent flood relief for the stricken regions, and
suspended Liguria taxes by decree until December 20 last year.
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