Italian local governments resist emergency cuts

ROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s government is facing fierce resistance to emergency spending cuts from local government officials, who are urging the government to start from scratch.

The governor of the northern Lombardy region said the cuts to key services such as transport and welfare would have “a depressive ... effect,” hurting the underclasses the most.

Roberto Formigoni told reporters after a meeting with the government Friday that regional, provincial and city administrations were being asked to cut (euro) 6 billion ($8.55 billion) in spending next year. That’s from total proposed cuts of (euro) 20 billion. Austerity measures in 2103 would total (euro) 25 billion.

Berlusconi is aiming to approve new measures at a Cabinet meeting later Friday.