This morning, the Municipal Council will have to vote on the resolution that will “unite” Nice and the State for the next three years for financial management.
On one side, the City commits to controlling its operating expenses and staying within the debt parameters considered sustainable with its repayment capacity. On the other, the State will stabilize the DGF and cover certain investments, evaluated on a case-by-case basis (for example, the future Police Headquarters at the site of Saint-Roch hospital).
The so-called “confidence” contract has been approved by the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, who considered the text “good and solid.”
The approval by the municipal majority is merely an administrative act necessary for its signing and officialization.
Naturally, the oppositions will take this opportunity to criticize the budgetary policy of Christian Estrosi and his team.
The harshest criticisms are expected regarding the mix between communal and metropolitan spending and debt, with the transfer of responsibilities and relevant budgets.
The National Front, which has announced its absence from this session, denounces “a communication campaign” and refuses to acknowledge the “healthy management” proclaimed by the Mayor of Nice, describing it as “a delusion and a clever sleight of hand.”
Indeed, the self-congratulation (“the city of Nice is a pioneer because it has been committed for many years to controlling public expenses, and naturally wants to go further by voluntarily engaging in this innovative and ambitious approach”) is somewhat forced when the debt repayment ratio is 13.96 years in 2017, and will be 16.38 in 2018, before coming into compliance in 2019 at 10.77 and 2020 at 10.46.
In view of these figures, it seems evident that the “innovative and ambitious approach” is nothing more than an act to comply with the criteria imposed by the State!
What to say, a little more modesty is never too much!
