A salutary alarm for the efficiency of the State

Miniseism in the canton of Vaud: for the first time in 20 years, the accounts of the State of Vaud end up in the red. Earthquake which must however be put into perspective since the result of the financial year before extraordinary allocation is in excess of 51 million. The different parties in the chamber immediately cried wolf: some wanting to cancel the planned tax cuts, others believing that spending is out of control.

Even if the situation is serious, we must remain calm on this issue today. Many cantons, notably Zurich and Bern, have announced deficits this year due to the inflationary and uncertain period we are experiencing. State revenues increase each year, the Vaud economy is doing well, and order books are full.

What is worrying, however, is that the charges have too significant an exponential trend. We therefore find ourselves primarily faced with a problem of expenditure, but not of revenue. Certain public policies implemented during previous legislatures have been poorly evaluated and now weigh heavily on state finances.

The Council of State announced that it would take the necessary measures to reverse current trends in charges and ensure public service missions, without affecting services. To do this, it is setting up an interdepartmental working group responsible for identifying optimization avenues for increased control of expenditure from the 2025 budget. For medium-term effects, it mandates a reflection on the efficiency of the organization of the State, with the aim of reducing the growth of its expenses.

If these general objectives are to be welcomed, this action plan must have precise and quantified objectives and a schedule, which is what we have requested. We often hear from citizens or businesses that state services are unsatisfactory, slow and do not match the pace of the real world.

Do better

Without affecting benefits to the population, it is undoubtedly possible to do better and make the State more efficient with the means at its disposal. But we will not give in on the tax cuts requested for individuals. The canton of Vaud must regain an attractiveness that it no longer has. Too many companies choose other cantons, because it is also the taxation of their employees that is important.

Contrary to what the left thinks, it is by having a more attractive tax policy that we can have a future which allows us to guarantee services to citizens, as well as the investments necessary for the population. The results of the 2023 accounts of the State of Vaud represent a salutary alarm which will finally allow us to clearly discuss a policy aimed at an agile and efficient State.

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