Italian communities on the border with Ticino are relieved that an impasse over tax negotiations between Switzerland and Italy seems broken.

This comes after Ticino agreed to unfreeze tax money bound for Italy.

Pietro Roncoroni, a spokesman for the Italian communities, said they were united in pushing for the 38.8 percent cross-border commuter tax rate not to be touched in negotiations.

This desire was relayed to regional delegations from Ticino and Lombardy yesterday.

Ticino had frozen nearly 30 million francs of commuter tax money in protest at what it saw as punitive tax rates and policies toward cross-border business.

The Lega dei Ticinesi called the unfreezing of the money “hasty” based on vague promises.

Lega MP Roberta Pantani threatened if negotiations broke down, Ticino should block even more of the cross-border tax money.