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Original article: Alcalde Tomás Vodanovic: «Cuando tú achicas el tamaño del Estado lo que estás haciendo es pegarle duramente en la vida a los que menos tienen»

In an interview with T13 Radio, Mayor of Maipú, Tomás Vodanovic, reiterated his criticisms of the various budget cuts initiated by the José A. Kast administration, emphasizing that such policies invariably harm those with fewer resources.

«I believe there is not a complete understanding of what it means for the poorest people in this country. When you reduce the size of the State, there is a prior fantasy that by merely cutting excess, unnecessary spending, and inefficient programs, we can achieve a reduction,» Vodanovic stated.

He further added, «The reality, and I say this as someone who manages State resources daily and strives for the most efficient administration possible, is that when you implement cuts of this magnitude, it is impossible not to negatively impact the lives of the poorest, who are the ones that most depend on the State.»

«Is there room for optimizing public spending in Chile? Absolutely. Do we have a totally bureaucratic, inefficient, and corrupt State? Not at all. However, that optimization measure is essential because today, if you ask any mayor, we lack funds for everything,» the Maipú mayor explained.

In this context, he suggested what should have been the focus of this government: advancing towards managing a «more efficient State, one that better optimizes public spending, modernizes its processes, and incorporates technology. If that had been the focus of discussion, we would have a broad agreement where we could find common ground.»

«But when I’m told that we are not going to touch upon any aspect of management, modernization, or optimization of public spending, and only implement cuts… public transport runs less frequently. Who does that affect? The people who cannot afford a car and have to wait for buses every morning,» argued the Maipú mayor.

He also recalled that «when you cut health budgets, you affect those who cannot afford to go to a clinic and must rely on a primary care center or a public hospital. In education, it impacts those who cannot attend private schools and have to rely on public education. When you shrink the size of the State, you are harshly impacting the lives of the most vulnerable. And we, as mayors, must defend that voice.»

We will continue to provide updates.

La entrada Mayor Tomás Vodanovic: «Cutting the Size of the State Harshly Impacts the Lives of the Most Vulnerable» se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.