Many department heads denounce the effort requested by the government in order to fill the public deficit. Some of your colleagues, like Sophie Borderie in Lot-et-Garonne, declare themselves, to date, incapable of producing a balanced budget. Are you in this situation?
The government's plan is totally unfair. All Departments are in the same situation. I could absolutely say that I could not present a balanced budget. This would ignore the particular situation of each Department. In short, I can say it but that's not what I will do. People wouldn't understand. Everyone can shout very loudly, very loudly, show indignation. In a Department like ours, we have responsibility for local policy and we have people who expect answers from elected officials. This does not call into question the reasons why there is anger shared by everyone at the local authority level. This remains a total misunderstanding.
Who is responsible for this situation?
This is the policy pursued for seven years by President Macron, who gives gifts to people with the highest incomes. They have increased our country's budget deficit and debt. They are in this situation and now they come to tell us that everyone must make an effort. Let them start with those to whom they gave gifts. One thing is certain: it is the failure of the supply-side policy. I would never have done things like that. What is seen as unfair is that from now on, it is the inhabitants of the territories who will suffer from the negligence of this government.
“It is likely that 85% of Departments cannot finance all of their investment and operating costs”
For the Landes, what amount will be missing from the 2025 budget?
If I count what will be taken, we will be missing 13 million euros. If I add all the expenses resulting from this financial project, in total, I would need between 25 and 30 million additional euros to be able to complete our budget.
This is not the first year that revenues have declined…
Revenues have been declining for three years. All taxes were removed from us. People no longer pay tax for the Departments. The State pays part of the VAT. It turns out it's not increasing. Our most important revenue is made up of transfer taxes (notary fees, Editor's note). In 2022, we received 134 million euros. And we will end the year 2024 with 90 million euros, a drop of 44 million euros. This is due to the real estate crisis. I don't know if it will continue to drop.
There, the government is adding another layer to us. It's starting to do a lot. The financial situation of our communities will be undermined. It is likely that 85% of Departments cannot finance all of their investment and operating costs. Situations of virtual cessation of payment. Which will not be the case for the Department of Landes, but our situation will seriously deteriorate.
Are you going to be faced with choices in the coming months?
Inevitably, we will have to review all public policies. There is a mandatory base, such as the department's solidarity policy. Only 40 to 42% are supported by the State. The rest is for us. Elected officials will have to make choices. I can also talk about child protection. There are more than 350 children suffering from several pathologies who should be under the responsibility of the State. This is not the case. The State does not assume its daily responsibilities, which forces us to incur expenses that are not our responsibility. Everything relating to local public services, such as aid to municipalities, aid to primary schools or school transport: these are the choices that we will be faced with. The government's choices will inevitably impact local services closest to the Landais. Unfortunately, citizens will not make the connection and will blame us.
But you cannot pass budgets that are not balanced….
Which is not the case for the State. We vote for balanced budgets. They are known and cannot slip.
“The decline in local services is fuel for the National Rally. We would like to bring him to power, we wouldn’t do it any other way”
Xavier Fortinon: “It’s not a problem of colors. No department is spared. »
Matthieu Sartre
How are you going to do it?
In recent years, we have had transfer taxes which have increased enormously (between 2018 and 2021, Editor's note). This allowed us to get out of debt. We will be able to mobilize our debt capacity without difficulty. There, we could be put in difficulty regarding public policies. We will be able to compensate with self-financing, which we will replace with debt if we do not want to modify our public policies. This will have to be discussed with our colleagues. We have been hit with these costs, we must analyze them and digest them for the year 2025. We are waiting to know what the end point will be in order to decide. We will be faced with important choices.
Which tracks will you choose?
It could be a mix. It could be a drop in investment. But you have to be careful on this point. 70% of investment in France is carried out by local authorities. If everything stops, it could have very strong economic repercussions. I insist: the choices made by the government are deadly for everyone. And this because we do not want to solicit those who have become rich over several years. The decline in local services is fuel for the National Rally. We would like to bring him to power, we would not do it any other way.
Concretely, will school transport become chargeable in Landes?
We are the only department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine where it is free. Every year, we pay 17 million euros to the Region for this service. In the canteen too, the costs are around 9-10 euros per child and we re-invoice them at the price of three. If I decided to charge everything at cost, that would be the equivalent of what is missing. It's arithmetic. Honestly, in a rural department like ours, that would be the last measure to take. My desire is not to impact everyone in the same way. We need to undertake surgical work to find out what will be done. I don't want to make any announcements today.
Can operating savings be envisaged, with fewer agents for example?
We take fewer social workers despite the demand, we put fewer agents on the side of the roads or in colleges, we also put fewer for the Sdis (Departmental Fire and Rescue Service, Editor's note): no, it This is out of the question and we must show responsibility. There is no question, in our reasoning, of reducing the number of employees. We are well within the national average regarding the number of agents. We will stay there.
Are you waiting for a move from the government? Perhaps a step backwards in relation to the discontent of local authorities?
Everyone is in the same boat. It's not a color problem. No department is spared. Michel Barnier announced that communities had to make 5 billion savings. We are not addressing the real causes. The government must take a step back because the entire population will suffer. I say it again, with fewer local public services, the result will be the same as that which we experienced during the 2024 legislative elections. I do not understand why no one makes the connection.
Do you fear the RN coming to power?
Yes. Of course. You would have to be completely above ground not to notice it. The government achieved this feat by making people believe that Jean-Luc Mélenchon was more dangerous than the RN. Today, people are no longer afraid of the RN. There are no more limits. People will take the plunge one day or another.
A “later” budget vote
President Xavier Fortinon announces it very clearly: the next vote on the budget of the Department of Landes will take place later than usual. “The deadline is April 15. We will vote on the budget as late as possible, to know the real impacts of this government decision on our finances,” he underlines. Most certainly “not before the first half of April”. Concerning the traditional budgetary orientation debate, it will not take place “until mid-March”.
