There will be no small cakes or speeches to mark the New Year. The heart is not in the party, for many communities in France who deliberately choose to boycott traditional greeting ceremonies in order to protest against the budgetary restrictions of which they consider themselves victims.
At the Department, President Marie-Agnès Petit explains. His decision comes in an already tense context, at the end of last year with the finance bill announced for 2025. Each department president reacted very quickly, each in their own way. Some brandishing threats, such as putting up for sale this or that building owned by the community and used for public service, here a prefecture, there a court. Haute-Loire remained “reasonable” overall, aiming for the vows ceremony. “That’s not how we aim to make significant savings. Above all, we must see a political message in this national budgetary turbulence,” announces Marie-Agnès Petit.
As a courtesy, mayors, presidents of communities of municipalities, representatives of the economic and associative world, members of the structures that the Department financially supports were informed of the decision by mail at the end of last year.
In Haute-Loire as elsewhere, revenues have fallen, notably through transfer taxes, between -20 and -30% less transfer taxes for valuable consideration (DMTO) in the Departments.
“Let the State sweep its own house before picking our pockets!” »
At the same time, the charges imposed by the State have increased. “I still have in mind the 11 million euros in additional uncompensated charges that were imposed on us by the State in 2024. When we add what was provided for in the PLF (Finance Bill, Editor's note) – which no longer exists but the Prime Minister announces new savings -, or 10 million euros in Haute-Loire, that was 21 million euros in additional operating expenses. Which was just inapplicable,” protests the president.
The imposed expenses are found in the different social fields: Ségur, home help, 4.5% increase in RSA, increase in index points, etc.
For Marie-Agnès Petit, shouldn't the State, before “picking the pockets” of communities, “sweep in front of its door and first review its lifestyle by making some cuts in the 1,200 agencies which cost 80 billion euros! » The president recalls: “We no longer have any fiscal leverage. »
On another scale, the Agglomeration of Puy-en-Velay has also decided to adopt a sulking strategy. After the announcement at the last council meeting, Michel Chapuis explained: “This decision, certainly symbolic, is a choice which was taken, both to mark the sense of responsibility displayed by community elected officials in the face of the budgetary uncertainties which hover over local authorities… and also a form of respect in relation to the death, still very present in people's minds, of Michel Joubert. »
Philippe Suc
France
