“The mayors and intercommunity presidents of Gironde refuse to be the government's adjustment variable,” is written in a motion sent to prefect Étienne Guyot this Saturday, November 9, signed by the Association of Mayors of Gironde (AMG) and the Association of Rural Mayors of Gironde (AMRG).
In this motion, elected officials recall that the finance bill for 2025 provides for an effort by local authorities of 5 billion euros and an increase of 1.3 billion in social contributions for employers of local civil servants. “All these measures, the effectiveness of which in reducing the state deficit has in no way been demonstrated, jeopardize the ability of elected officials to meet the legitimate expectations of our fellow citizens,” states the motion.
The mayors evoke “a contempt for local authorities and intercommunalities”, they “denounce the blatant contradictions between the government's speeches advocating dialogue and consultation and the actions which result in unilateral decisions with harmful consequences for the entire French territorial fabric”. They also warn of “the devastating impacts for the departments, which will be asphyxiated, thus aggravating the difficulties of the municipalities and endangering essential public policies”. Finally, the motion demands an immediate review of these decisions and calls for “the mobilization of all elected officials to recall that communities are essential partners of the State and not targets of budget cuts”.
There will be a domino effect, so we are very worried”
“There is no other choice”
During the general assembly of rural mayors of Gironde, this Saturday, November 9 in Fargues-Saint-Hilaire, the prefect Étienne Guyot committed to transmitting the motion to the government and tried to reassure local elected officials. “The 2025 budget is currently being discussed, we still have a good month ahead of us before the adoption of the finance bill. The Prime Minister reminded us that dialogue with local authorities must be nourished and constant. “. In 2025 state allocations will be at the same level as in 2024, he said.
Did he convince the mayors? Nothing is less certain. For Jacques Breillat, LR mayor of Castillon-la-Bataille, “the prefect will say things to the ministers and the central administration, but I did not find it reassuring. The finance bill will not move much, it is false to say that small communities will not be impacted, we are in a chain, there will be budgetary cascading effects.” Not reassured either, Daniel Barbe, PS mayor of Blasimon, president of the AMRG: “we are told that the small ones will not be affected, OK, but when the Department and the Region are, there will be a domino effect, so we are very worried.”
In Fargues-Saint-Hilaire, the president of the Departmental Council Jean-Luc Gleyze explained to the prefect that “the municipalities are calling on us for help, except that we too can no longer hold out, the situation is serious. The State must realize that the failure of communities will lead to that of the Republic.”
