Itโs clear why Christian Estrosi is a fan of jogging: to participate in (and in his case, lead) a session of the Nice City Council, one needs to have stamina and endurance!
From 8:30 a.m. (in fact, closer to 9 a.m., weโre in Nice, not Switzerland) to 5 p.m. with a lunch break that also serves as a time for discussions, thereโs no chance to fall asleep (only yawns are allowed) while voting on the 150 resolutions (admittedly, many are of an administrative nature).
Whatโs important and more significant?
Chronologically, the acquisition of a large statue paying tribute to Hervรฉ Gourdel and victims of terrorism (were there others in Nice? Why always add more to exaggerate the problem?).
The work is by artist Roland Moreau and consists of a monolithic granite stele 2 meters high on a base of 1 meter by 50 cm, composed of two faces. The mystery remains of where it will be placedโฆ
Councilor Gaรซl Nofri proposed the โidea of a public subscription to give this initiative a participatory character.โ A beautiful idea that did not follow through, but why not keep the exclusivity?
The municipal police, a flagship of Christian Estrosi for its numbers and organization, is still insufficient to handle the increasingly numerous tasks, including playing a supplementary role to the national police and gendarmerie, which are, in contrast, increasingly insufficient (according to the mayor of Nice, the socialist government is entirely responsible).
To give it even more resources, a “reserve” will be created, allowing for its use, based on volunteer participation, for specific missions during events or other gatherings. It will be open to municipal and metropolitan agents and volunteers.
The mayor of Nice had announced it, and a project presentation has already been made: the Hill of the Castle will be redeveloped to make it a place of tourism and life after a long period of neglect (since 1935). The recommendations of the ecologist advisers concerned with maintaining natural areas found an easy answer: there will be 5,000 m2 more of vegetative spaces available to visitors once the work is completed.
Since he became a regional candidate, Christian Estrosi has had a green thumb: an influence of his adviser Maud Fontenoy, a new complementary ecologist?
A few skirmishes from socialist Paul Cuturello on the parking lots of the multimodal hub at Arenas in planning that allowed the Mayor of Nice to elevate it and a methodological reserve from Dominique Boy-Mottard on the restructuring and extension of the Ray school group (wouldn’t it be better to examine the entire area of the former stadium, she asked?), takes us to one of the most important deliberations of the day.
And yes, despite last year’s refusal when the law was passed, starting in 2016, the Nice municipality will apply the additional residence tax to secondary homes: this operation will bring in approximately 5 million euros (estimate).
Patrick Allemand did not miss the opportunity to remind Christian Estrosi of this paradox, who justified himself by accusing the government of having abruptly reduced local authority funding as part of the national debt reduction plan.
The question deserves much more consideration, but in any case, there would be no change in the explanation: for Christian Estrosi, everything that goes wrong (excluding rain?) is the fault of the socialist government!
It is with regret that we must move on without comment on the long list of deliberations proposed by Dominique Estrosi-Sassone, all concerning social housing, which is usually the cause of fierce (but always very correct) debates with Paul Cuturello.
But, surprise, the latter, probably still in a holiday mood, backed down without a word, leaving those present unsatisfied. Itโs a pity, because we had almost grown accustomed to this little parenthesis that added a bit of flair to an assembly hall often reduced to an assembly of “musicians” where everyone plays their partโฆ but no more.
On the sports side, the allocation of subsidies to various organizations allows Christian Estrosi to wink at these associations and remind them of his good memory. It is always useful to have good publicity among the many club members when one is a candidate in an election.
In the headlines in recent days, after a long eclipse, is the issue of the building on Pontremoli Street, a gift from a mysterious Saudi to an Islamic association intended for a cultural center (a prayer hall for the mayor of Nice who is categorically opposed), should have found a conclusion: the City’s project, wanting to make it a nursery for the children of future Nice Mรฉridia residents, has been comforted by administrative authorities, allowing the exercise of the right of pre-emption for public utility. Other Muslim worship associations involved would have given a favorable opinion: less competition?
A major change is planned in the management of the Nice Opera House, which does not have the international reputation that the city’s officials think (though it’s never too late to have ambitious goals), but which remains an essential place for โserious musicโ enthusiasts: a general director (hoped to be of international stature) will end the diarchy between the management of the board (in fact, finances and organization) and the artistic director in charge of programmingโฆ without having financial control.
If you add the musical director and the egos of eachโฆ there’s no need to explain the rest and the operational difficulties.
Furthermore, one wonders about the reasons for the socialist groupโs oppositionโฆ
Finally, two wishes were submitted for the assemblyโs approval.
The first, approved, is a re-issue of what has already been voted on by the Metropolitan Council last week, requested (according to the Mayor of Nice) by the UFC-Que Choisir association and concerns the denunciation of the malfunctioning of regional transport and compensation measures for users that Christian Estrosi elevated, no less, to the rank of shipwrecks!
In fact, the initiative strongly smells of electoral propaganda and the association, in this case, should be renamed “who to choose” with the slogan: I give you a hint, follow my gaze!
The second, rejected, was proposed by the eco-socialist group related to the City of Niceโs engagement in a dynamism of welcoming refugees.
No need to draw you a picture to understand the rest of the debate: a wish in favor of refugees, in the middle of an election campaign for the regionals, in the most right-wing city in France, and the National Front only talks about securityโฆ but, where do the socialists live?
Moreover, Christian Estrosiโs response could not have been clearer: echoing the arguments of his mentor Nicolas Sarkozy, who enjoys the role of war leader, he indicated the solution to the problem in opposition to the socialist government (nothing new) andโฆ German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders, all pinned.
It’s simple: to liberate the homeland (which one? because there are several war theaters) from Daech.
Who (considering there are multinational institutions), how? when? remained unanswered, but surely there must be one. Or maybe, without ulterior motives, we must see as a protagonist, his friend Putin.
End of the sessionโฆ