Ecolo/Groen and Défi (in the outgoing majority) denounce “a political coup and an edifying coup of force” carried out to the detriment of the collective. “This tax increase project was presented without preamble by Finance Alderman Dominique Harmel (LB) to the college on October 24, barely ten days after the municipal elections. Faced with the absence of data, our groups requested an explanatory note as well as a report to the next college. During the college meeting on November 7, based on the analysis of the grade received, our groups indicated that they did not agree as it stood.”detail the two political parties. Immediately joined by municipal councilor Cécile Vainsel.
Aldermen Ecolo/Groen and Défi have decided to block the adoption of the item on the agenda of the municipal council for this Tuesday, November 19. But, “following this, rather than postponing the point, the mayor Benoit Cerexhe decided to urgently convene a new meeting of the College, the same day, by Zoom, in order to force the point through, by bringing together his absent aldermen Les Engagés or abroad. An unprecedented situation in 12 years of majority. The four aldermen (3 Ecolo and 1 Défi) obviously boycotted this meeting”further specify Ecolo and Défi.
The three parties also denounce the intellectual dishonesty of the members of the Mayor’s list who blame the former majority for this tax increase. “We believe that it would have been more ethical, more transparent and more intellectually honest to vote for this measure, either before the elections, or once the new majority has been installed and has a general policy declaration planned for early December. This choice of timing seems to be dictated by opportunistic political considerations, far from the interests of citizens. Didn’t the MR and the Open-VLD of Alexia Bertrand want to be associated with this decision, the first of the new team in power?
Mayor Benoît Cerexhe takes responsibility for the decision. But specifies that the measure will perhaps come into force in 2026, which should make it possible to exempt owner-occupiers subject to tax. Woluwe-Saint-Pierre is in fact waiting for the ordinance on differentiated property tax to be voted on in the Brussels parliament. Taxable owner-occupiers will then be spared from this increase in the PRI. “With this increase in the PRI, we are targeting multi-owners and European civil servants”explains the councilor. “Nevertheless, if the municipality does not increase the PRI this year, it will have to make a budgetary effort greater than forecast. The idea being not to lose a fiscal year.
