The president of the Departmental Council, Kléber Mesquida, confirmed this Monday the savings measures initiated by the community to complete its 2024 budget. A motion was voted unanimously which increases the pressure on the central State, so that it financially compensates for the charges transferred to the departments.
The standoff between the departmental councils and the central state is underway. The session of the Hérault departmental council which was held this Monday morning provided a perfect illustration of this. Kléber Mesquida confirmed the savings measures announced last week in order to hold its 2024 budget and confirmed its fears for the 2025 budget which will be presented next March. “If we are in this budgetary situation it is not due to excesses but to State budgetary restrictions” he indicated.
€51 million less from the State
According to its calculations, presented in the form of a table to all elected officials, the impact of charges attributable to the State or linked to national decisions but not compensated by additional allocations (increase in the RSA, increase in the minimum wage, bonus Ségur to nursing home staff, etc.) represents a shortfall of €51 million for the community, to which is added a reduction of €52 million in transfer duties for valuable consideration (DMTO).
Rent for the prefecture
It is not the slight increase in this 0.5% tax announced this weekend by Michel Barnier which appears capable of calming the anger of departmental elected officials. “As the real estate market is collapsing, I don’t think this will make a lot of money. It’s nothing compared to the Ségur bonus” commented the boss of the Hérault executive who, however, did not reiterate his intention to sell the Montpellier prefecture but, at the very least, to charge rent. “Why would state services benefit from free occupation?”.
Motion unanime
Its vice-president, Philippe Vidal, for his part, confirmed the freezing of major road works, which represent a quarter of the community's investment budget. “We will not undertake new programs this year”. In opposition, the elected representative from Béziers Gilles Sacaze declared his association with these “rigorous measures” but fears that “the worst is yet to come”. “The mayors are very worried about the future. The overall operating allocation has fallen by €10 per inhabitant. We are cornered” noted the mayor of Villeveyrac, Christophe Morgo.
In this tense political context, a motion relating to the 2025 finance bill, proposed by the majority group, was adopted unanimously. Inspired by the positions taken by the assembly of the departments of France, the text expresses the refusal of the community of “revenue capping announced” by the government, “any additional unfunded expenditure without full compensation”. A point which notably includes the possible revaluation of individual solidarity allowances, APA, RSA and disability benefits.
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