The Finance Department says Flaherty is scheduled to hold a news conference on Thursday at 8:15 a.m. (1215 GMT). ' P& V4 `! s" ? : S2 y, ~. V" ?A government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government will reduce the maximum amortization period of a mortgage to 25 years from 30 years, and lower the level of home equity that can be borrowed against to 80 percent from 85 percent.7 \6 U& U* c0 }* w" f% e