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The mayors of leave with even more questions than answers

Ten days ago, during the press briefing presenting the mayors' show, Pierre Gonzalvez, president of the mayors' association (AMV 84) was afraid of leaving the exhibition center this Thursday with ” more questions than answers “. A proven fear with which local authorities must deal “ in this uncertain and chaotic climate », According to Dominique Santoni, LR president of the Department. “ The municipalities are the last wheel of the carriage and are considered the cash cow of the State “, scolds Christian Gros, mayor (DVG) of Monteux and secretary of AMV 84, noting the national observation that ” 55% of mayors do not wish to run again and would prefer to go fishing or play bowls ».

And it is not the conclusion of the morning discussions by Sabine Roussely, secretary general of the prefecture, which will put a smile on their face. In a forbidding speech lasting almost three quarters of an hour, the representative of the prefect – held in with all the prefects – declined a sort of general policy speech for the State in the department. Completely out of step with the immediate expectations of mayors. “ Our place is not always enviable, but yours… hello ! », Renaud Muselier had quipped against him beforehand. The president (Ren) of the Region did not want to overwhelm the local prefectural body caught between national directives and their often contradictory local applications.

The Region risks being deprived of 10% of its operating budget, “ it's colossal », Resigns Renaud Muselier to the directions taken by his political camp. However, there is no question of cutting back on the agricultural aspect and aid to municipalities, he promises. Two themes on which also Dominique Santoni “ s’engage » not to cut corners, even if, for the moment, a drain of 15 million euros is expected in the Department's 2025 budget. In line with her speech a month ago at the meeting, the president of the departmental council places the blame on the State: “ Paris is enough ! “, she insists. And to display its desire to “ escape from the impasse of a which bends and cracks under the excess of centralism “. The former mayor of Apt “ calls for a 3e act of decentralization », inviting all elected officials to support his request.

Comments which echo those of Cécile Helle, PS mayor of Avignon. “ We need visibility and trust, decentralization does not involve reducing allocations “, claims the councilor, recalling that “ the municipalities are the first public service, the local level to which citizens turn ». « It is not because we are going to put local authorities on a diet that we are going to save the State », agrees Véronique Pouzadoux, deputy general secretary of the association of mayors of France, from Allier. Pierre Gonzalvez, LR mayor of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and president of AMV 84, admitted being “ in a situation of contradiction, we want nothing to change when we will have to make savings “. No one dared to ask the question of recipes.

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