The Finance Department says Flaherty is scheduled to hold a news conference on Thursday at 8:15 a.m. (1215 GMT). 3 Z$ g% ]2 n' V/ N3 b c : L9 M& k' H' B$ ^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. 0 a% {1 ]- u0 ^