A month ago, we learned that the banks refused to lend money to the city of Liège as part of the Oxygen Plan, as in Mons and Charleroi. La Cité ardente is too in debt (one billion euros, it is the most indebted municipality in Wallonia!).
Finally, the funds will be provided by the Regional Municipal Assistance Center (CRAC) which will finance the needs through its own funds. Their release, or 230 million for the three cities, will be done in three phases, with a first tranche of 50% in December, 25% at the start of 2025 and the remaining 25% during the first modification to the 2025 budget. At this time, savings measures, which will be the condition for the loan, will have to be put in place.
Here are the measures mentioned:
– stop the appointments of new statutory municipal agents and limit replacements to one in two
– obligation to submit a balanced budget
– replace retiring police officers with peacekeepers
– turn off public lighting at night
– renegotiate a series of contracts (insurance) and public markets with service providers
– pricing of municipal services such as rental of premises at cost price
– eliminate free crèches for those who benefit from them
– initiate the end of free provision of municipal staff (except for certain justified public interest missions)
– sell more useless buildings
– remove certain direct bonuses for the population (sports vouchers for example)
– reduce transfers to other organizations or associations by 15%
And obviously… consider new municipal taxes or fees or increase some existing ones. For its part, the Region should reduce certain funding.
Banks refuse to lend money to the city of Liège, which is too #indebted
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