Lira says that the new Refis project will be guided and approved by the Chamber

The president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), said this Monday (22) that the project for the new Refis will be guided and approved by the House. Without committing to dates, he guaranteed that he will comply with the agreement made with the Senate on the processing of the tax reform.

“Everybody wants Refis. So, what everybody wants, generally the government doesn’t want it and we have to be there always doing the interface. Well then, the Senate didn’t vote [a reforma do] Income tax and the reporter is saying that he is not going to vote. We are going to vote on Refis, maybe not the text that the Senate approved, maybe not the same text, but we are going to approve Refis”, promised Lira during an event promoted by Abad (Brazilian Association of Wholesalers and Distributors).

The proposal was approved by senators in August. Written by the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), the text divides debts owed by the Union in 12 years and forgives interest and fines of up to 90%.

According to Lira, the Senate had pledged to vote the reform of the Income Tax until October 15th so that Refis could be ruled in the Chamber afterwards. Senators, however, are still reluctant to appreciate the IR bill. Angelo Coronel (PSD-BA), responsible for the opinion of the proposal, says that the possibility of approving it in November is remote.

The delay has irritated the mayor. Lira argues that the taxation of profits and dividends, provided for in the tax reform, will serve as a source to guarantee resources for the government’s new social program, Auxílio Brasil.

“We have staggering numbers: R$330 billion are distributed a year without paying a penny of dividend. Is it fair not to face this debate as the Senate is doing? subject. Approves, modifies, amends alters, but it has to proceed”, he criticized.

According to the current text of the proposal, the new Refis will allow the possibility of renegotiating tax debts for individuals and companies, including those undergoing judicial recovery and subject to the special taxation regime.

Debts overdue up to the last day of the month prior to the entry into force of the law may be paid or in installments. The installments will have reduced values ​​in the first three years.

Companies that join the program will have a different type of settlement depending on the drop in sales recorded between the periods of March to December 2020 compared to the period from March to December 2019. The greater the drop in sales, the better the conditions for debt payment.

Although minister Paulo Guedes (Economy) himself has signaled support for a project to renegotiate tax debts, members of the ministry claim that the program could not be as broad.

The ministry is particularly opposed to a program that would allow debt renegotiation for those who were not affected by the Covid-19 crisis or for those who profited during the period.

The concern is that the fiscal impact resulting from the text represents yet another bomb to explode in public accounts, which have been in deficit since 2014. Therefore, the tendency is for the folder to recommend that it not be sanctioned.

Also this Monday morning (22), the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), countered Lira, who he had indicated in an interview with sheet that the senator from Minas Gerais did not comply with agreements.

“We had an agreement regarding the Income Tax that has not been honored until today. We had until October 15 for the Senate to consider this matter and for us to vote on Refis, in an exchange of cards. I will vote on Refis, I usually comply with my agreements…”, replied the president of the Chamber.

Asked about the matter, Pacheco said that he maintains an agreement with the senators “which is to comply with the Constitution”. In another indirect, he also declared that the main agreement to be fulfilled is with Brazilian society.

“We all fulfill our commitments. I have an agreement signed with the senators of the Federal Senate, which is to comply with the Constitution, democratically complying with the procedures and projects. I am faithfully complying with the Income Tax bill. I made a commitment to the senators that I submit to them, through the economic affairs committee, a reflection that can have the participation of everyone”, he said, after an event at the São Paulo Trade Association.

“Legislative process must be matured, matured, society must be listened to. So this is a normal path. I think this is the main agreement that must be fulfilled, which is the agreement with Brazilian society,” he added.

Pacheco also said that the PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution) of the Precatório “hardly” will be voted on this week by the plenary of the Senate. However, he said that he will seek to guide the plenary until the end of next week.

The president of the Senate also said that there are “interesting” amendments being presented to the original text, which will be evaluated by the rapporteur, Fernando Bezerra (MDB-PE). In particular, he commented on the amendments by the MDB leader, senator Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM), which make the Auxílio Brasil program permanent and create a commission to audit the court orders.

Pacheco, a pre-candidate for the presidency of the Republic, also stated that the country needs to find a way to finance Auxílio Brasil, if it becomes permanent.

“If there is one thing in Brazil that wealth should serve, it is to make a decent social program for people. So I believe that we can indeed have the sources of resources necessary for the social program to be implemented, for a greater number of families , which are really in need, and also with a value that gives people a purchasing power,” he said.

“So this amount of R$ 400, I’ve been saying that it’s not our value, it shows itself, it’s a reality of people who need to buy rice, beans, pay for cooking gas and need to have the money for it,” added the senator .