This town in Val-d’Oise draws up its budget “in unprecedented fog”

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The municipal council of Pontoise (Val-d’Oise) adopted the 2025 budget orientation report, Thursday December 19, 2024. “A finance law at a standstill has led to the development of a local budget in a new fog », lamented Laurent Lambert, deputy in charge of finances, in introduction to the presentation of this note which should lead to the budget vote next February. “What efforts will be required of communities to reduce the deficit ?, even questioned the elected official. The situation has never been so tense. »

Like so many others in France, the municipality of Pontoise must prepare its next budget in a “sluggish” economic context. A financial situation which occurs while the City records a 56% increase of its energy expenditure, 40% for service provision, 35% for maintenance and above all 292% soaring prices for insurance contracts. It is also a increase in payroll which could be explained by the choice “to modernize the City’s services and to propose a new policy for the population”, justifies Laurent Lambert.

Investment

Despite this financial state, the town hall intends to increase its support for associations, relying on tax revenueincreasing by 6%, while transfer taxes (which increased from €8.2 million to €6.9 million) and allocations (€7.7 million, identical to those of 2020) are “at half mast”.

“The City will be attentive to its capacity to invest,” warns Laurent Lambert, remaining vigilant about the community’s capacity to save. A financial strategybased on a multi-year plan 2025-2031, to enable the development of video protection, the continuation of the road and sidewalk renovation program, the renewal of the automobile fleet, maintenance in schools, the renovation of municipal buildings, the pre-emption of businesses… So many guidelines “to pursue municipal policy”, supports the finance assistant.

In 2025, the investment will be devoted to the maintenance sites of the ramparts, the continuation of the construction of the Ludovic-Piette schoolthe start of the urban renovation of Hauts-de-Marcouville, the development of a synthetic pitch at the Nelson-Mandela stadium, the revegetation of the cemetery, the first phase of the cathedral rescue program and “various small projects” .

“We are carrying out our projects in a healthy local situation… but blindly today”, affirms Laurent Lambert in a context where the institutional partners have voted their decreasing budget.

“The Region has reduced €750 million. The Department wants to make €100 million in savings, the Cergy-Pontoise urban community warns that if savings are not made, it will cease payments next September,” added Stéphanie Von Euw, the mayor ( Lr) from Pontoise, aimed at a less alarmist left-wing opposition. In view of the national budgetary situation, austerity is essential.

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