A real “mass blow”. During the municipal council of the City of Rennes on October 14, Mayor Nathalie Appéré was alarmed by the budgetary restrictions on communities imposed by the Finance Bill carried by the government.
The one who is also president of Rennes Métropole gave a layer of it this Thursday, November 14 at the opening of the metropolitan council: “What the government is asking local authorities is to pay the bill for the last seven years of management of the 'State. And it threatens to asphyxiate us financially even though participating in the recovery of public accounts is not an aberration. We were ready for it, but not in such proportions, nor in such a short time and with an absence of dialogue. »
“14.4 million euros in savings, unheard of”
The 450 largest communities in the country – including the City of Rennes and the Metropolis – will thus be taken to the tune of 2% of their operating revenue. The share of VAT paid by the State will also be frozen, although it should have increased mechanically next year. Their contributions to the National Retirement Fund for local authority agents will also increase by four points. In total, Rennes Métropole should lose €14.4 million of its budget. “Never seen before,” insists Nathalie Appéré. This amounts to eliminating our public transport network for half the year.
However, this bill was rejected by the National Assembly at first reading on Tuesday, November 12. With this unprecedented rejection, local authorities, including Rennes Métropole, still do not know in what sauce they will be eaten.
“We need more data”
The Metropolis' budgetary orientation report will be presented on December 19, during the last council of the year, before a vote on the budget in January 2025. “In view of the political instability which reigns at the national level, it is now “Today it is impossible to know what final form the 2025 Finance Bill will take, and therefore to precisely measure the extent of the government's bludgeoning of local authorities”, specifies Rennes Métropole. As a metropolitan elected official indicates, “it will take us time to find the “best” formula, where we are still missing data. »
“Faced with painful choices”
One thing is certain, the president of Rennes Métropole is expecting a big shock. And warns: “We will be faced with painful choices. Which public services should be degraded? What aid should be removed? Will we have to abandon our investments in housing? To our investments which structure the territory, which enable its ecological transformation and its adaptation to climate change? »
