The forecasts are improving, but remain in the red, in Le Locle. The Municipal Council presented the 2025 budget of the Mother Common on Wednesday morning. It shows a deficit of 1.4 million francs. This is not satisfactory for the executive, but it is encouraging, because better than the previous exercise by almost a million. This improvement is mainly due to the estimated increase in tax revenue of 2.7 million francs, a large part of which is attributable to the tax on cross-border workers.
It is difficult at present to say whether this trend towards beauty is set to last. “The effects of the economic situation are difficult to estimate,” explains the municipal councilor in charge of finances, Anthony von Allmen. The 2026-2028 financial and task plan (PFT) tends to show a cautious improvement over the years, but no return to balance or profit during this period.
If revenues planned for 2025 are up by 2.7 million francs, expenses are also up, by 1.7 million compared to the 2024 budget.
A structural deficit of 1.2 million francs prevents the commune of Le Locle from seeing life in black. The executive intends to look into this problem and find solutions.
The net investment envelope planned for 2025 amounts to 10 million francs. It mainly concerns the sanitation of the Communal swimming pool and the project for a new wastewater treatment plant.
According to the 2025 budget, Le Locle plans to grant inflation compensation and automatic increment to its staff.
The General Council of the Mother Common will examine these financial forecasts during its meeting on December 11. /cwi
