Clearly, it seems that the Metropolitan Council cannot proceed without some sort of clash happening!
Yet yesterday, the local lively Calamity Jane, Mrs. Christelle D’Intorni chose silence over her usual pleadings towards Christian Estrosi…
This time, it was the opposition councilor Guillaume Aral (various right-wing) who clashed with the president of the Metropolis over the 20 euro aid* resolution voted in favor of residents.
All this occurred while a handful of yellow vests were protesting — well controlled by the police — outside the CUM where the session was taking place.
To better understand the situation, Guillaume Aral, who publicly supports these demonstrators, was accused by Christian Estrosi of trying to manipulate them, or even of being connected to their presence at a location (the Promenade des Anglais) where the tragedy of July 14 took place.
A frankly irrelevant supposition (unless the president of the Metropolis has undisclosed information) and somewhat offensive, reacted vigorously to by Guillaume Aral’s group colleague, Olivier Bettati, whose relationship with Christian Estrosi is execrable: “Unacceptable, ignoble”.
This was followed by a “manly but not at all correct” scuffle (unlike the conduct of rugby, from which this expression derives — Christian Estrosi made further provocations towards Olivier Bettati, honestly not relevant to the subject of the discussion.
Final result? The two councilors left the amphitheater — perhaps not the goal sought by Christian Estrosi? — followed by the returning Joseph Calza (a new member of this group?) and, surprise!, by the ciottist opponent Auguste Verola, a gesture that the assembly found astonishing, accompanied by a sort of invocation from Christian Estrosi: “Auguste, your place is not with them, it is here, not among your friends.”
Then, the mayor of Villefranche Christophe Trojani, an orthopedist by profession, donned the psychologist’s attire and joined the “leaver” who soon returned to the chambers to sit in a different seat than usual!!!
Applause and end of the variety show. The session could finally start, and the deliberations were discussed and adopted (editor’s note: the PLNU is the subject of a separate article) with the novelty of a member of the metropolitan majority (the Métropole Solidarité group) intervening for each of them to support the proposed measure. A way—apparently—of countering the opposition. Wasn’t the rapporteur (often supplemented by the metropolitan president) enough? Obviously not! Certainly, someone studied the matter to reach this point.
Measures for purchasing power
This is how Christian Estrosi wanted to define,
the 20 euro/month aid* to motorists announced some time ago, even before the government withdrew the diesel price increase which caused the yellow vest movement.
Solidarity? — that’s the official motivation —, a communication operation (according to Dominique Boy-Mottard) taking advantage of the moment’s opportunity?, the deed of a prince? , what about the support that’s so criticized in right-wing culture? … everyone will see their own truth!
Also confirmed, free access between the Grand Arénas and the airport and the fare of 1.50 euros (10 euros for a book of 10 trips) for the entire network.
Finally, metropolitan workers will benefit from an increase of 1 euro (at the expense of the community) for meal vouchers.
Studies for the creation of a new commercial port near the airport excluding the towns of Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Cagnes-sur-Mer.
The motivation is commercial: the current port of Nice’s infrastructure is no longer adapted to the size of new cruise ships and the port district is heavily polluted by car transit for the Nice-Corsica ferries as well as the Villefranche port that receives large ships.
A new commercial port would enhance the competitiveness of the territory and allow for the reception of 1.5 million passengers heading to Corsica (instead of 750 thousand today), to accommodate 600 liners (instead of 400) and upscale cruises…. The current port of Nice would solidify its standing as a marina.
A proposal that landed like a thunderbolt, despite the honeyed tone of the rapporteur Louis Nègre: “These are just studies” — replied the rapporteur Louis Nègre to the remarks of Patrick Allemand (left-wing group) who highlighted — in addition to the critical financial situation (in his view) of the metropolis indebted for 1.5 billion euros — the contradiction between a territory that claims to be “sustainable development” and additional construction densification.
Let’s not mention the sudden intervention of the ecologist Fabrice Decoupigny who labeled it as “totally irresponsible.”
In fact, the studies will only serve to reinforce a decision already made: will the new port be the major operation of Christian Estrosi’s third term?
Multi-annual objectives and means agreement of the metropolitan tourist office
Classified in category 1, it will be effective starting January 1, 2019, and it will have the mission to “enhance the territory’s attractiveness and showcase its diversity”, by pooling resources. A strategy will be put in place… territorial brand, attractiveness agency, etc.
For the record, tourism is the leading employer in the territory. The activity in this sector (10 million visitors) is solidifying and expanding: between September 2017 and 2018, significant progress was recorded: +7.06 for accommodation, +7.92 for catering.
Sunday openings of businesses in member municipalities of the Metropolis
They were authorized despite Christine Dorejo’s vehement intervention (left) which bewildered the rapporteur Christian Tordo — who is still waiting for an explanation to understand the meaning — by talking about “purchasing power and offer power.”
Addendums and markets not decided upon
Behind this technical and thus nebulous formulation are the increases in the price of tram lines 2 and 3.
For the record, the initial budget was 750 million (excluding line 3). That was in 2009. To date, the official figure is 945 million, plus the addendums voted on, bringing it to 981 million — Patrick Allemand made a point of specifying this in an accounting manner as he monitors this dossier closely.
“We are heading towards 1 billion in costs” — as I had always predicted, he said addressing Christian Estrosi. Who answered him: “it is the same cost per kilometer as line 1, not to mention the cost of the tunnel which will make the line more efficient in terms of passenger transport capacity and thus more profitable.”
It’s great when everyone is right!
Regional territorial balance contract (CRET 2019-2021) with the Region
The metropolitan projects will be funded up to 46 million for 2019. Having the dual role of president of the metropolis and delegated president of the Region… it’s not for free!
Operation of the Azur Line Authority
When things go out the door and come back through the window!
On the occasion of the approval of the multi-annual budget 2019-2023, (for 2019 the metropolis’s contribution will be 157 million euros), Patrick Allemand returned to the dossier closest to his heart — the extension of line 1 to Ariane-La Trinité — always refused by Christian Estrosi for various and varied reasons, well camouflaged by cost reasons (the metropolis’s financial state not being unrelated to this decision) and politics, in favor of extending line 2 to Saint-Laurent and Cagnes, cities more attractive and whose mayors are key allies in the governance of the community.
To respond to a recognized need, studies were launched for a dedicated line that should provide a positive, albeit partial, response to the population’s demands.
“It’s a matter of territorial equality” — proclaimed ecologist Fabrice Decoupigny with his thundering tone.
More nuanced in his analysis, Patrick Allemand found in the support document the forecast of bus purchases and questioned: how can there be a plan to buy buses when the preliminary studies aren’t even completed?
Conclusion: a cost-benefit comparative study will be conducted before making a final decision.
Patrick Allemand requested that it be entrusted to an independent firm. Mmmm, replied Christian Estrosi who, manifestly, wants to keep control over this dossier.
