The department of Yvelines, like that of Haut-de-Seine, will not respect the traditional ceremony of greeting its citizens this year. The two departments have decided to give up the joint ceremony that they have organized since 2016 at the Haras de Jardy in Marnes-la-Coquette, in Hauts-de-Seine. A decision that would allow them to save 250,000 euros.
Georges Siffredi, president of the Hauts-de-Seine departmental council, and Pierre Bédier, his counterpart in Yvelines, however, each posted a Happy New Year message on social networks.
Transfer taxes in free fall
The two departments which, until 2021, had a merger project, are not the only ones to have renounced these ceremonies. Seine-et-Marne, Val-de-Marne, Val-d'Oise, but also the Ile-de-France region have done the same.
Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-et-Marne, Val-de-Marne, Val-d'Oise, but also the Ile-de-France region, did the same.
To explain this break with tradition, Pierre Bédier invoked a “constrained budgetary context”, due in particular to the drop in income from transfer taxes for valuable consideration (DMTO), linked to the bad situation in the real estate market. Transfer taxes have in fact increased from 450 million euros in 2022 to 250 million euros in 2024, representing a shortfall of 200 million euros.
-In addition, the Yvelines community was not able to borrow as much as planned: 230 million euros instead of 267 million. “If I were trivial, I would say: 'the party is over'”, commented Pierre Bédier at the departmental council meeting on December 20. Despite the implementation, from 2023, of a sobriety plan which had made it possible to divide “representation costs by four”, the departmental executive therefore continues to tighten its belt.
Another sign that times are tough, the budgetary context of 2025 was also mentioned to explain the pausing of the interdepartmental investment solidarity fund (Fs2i) of Yvelines and Hauts-de-Seine, “while waiting for better days ”.
F. H.
