During the Municipal Council meeting, the administrative account of the city of Nice was discussed.
“It’s a positive report, exemplary in all commitments,” Christian Estrosi proudly declared. Indeed, the city made efforts that allowed for a reduction in expenses by 1.45% and also respected the financial contract signed with the State. Meanwhile, members of the opposition decided to vote against this main 2018 report.
Patrick Allemand, head of the opposition group “Another Future for Nice,” expressed indignation at this analysis. “The 2018 administrative account marks a significant evolution compared to previous administrative accounts; since your first election in 2008, the trend has been to increase debt continuously,” he added, “Father of the debt you are, and you will remain.” With these strong words, Patrick Allemand pointed out the operating revenues amounting to 606.4 million euros, representing an 8% increase. Taxes and fees brought the city an additional 8.5 million euros. The socialist criticized a strict and difficult real estate policy: “The transfer taxes increased by 7.3%, indicating a dynamic real estate sector in the city. I am not someone who rejoices at seeing housing prices rise in Nice,” he said. Finally, he discussed the revenues from parking rights: “These revenues increased by 47.6% between 2016 and 2018. This brings in about 9 million euros.” He concluded his enumeration with, “You have taxed the people of Nice in every way, but you have inflated your revenues.”
“In Nice, we invest 5 times more in parking meters than in youth”
Agitated, Patrick Allemand revealed the lack of investment in the fields of youth and sports: “559,000 euros in 2017, 527,000 euros in 2018. It’s the Influence Your City operation. Often, it’s like that, the less money there is, the more communication there is,” exclaimed the municipal councilor.
He concluded by pointing out the security expenses increasing from 3.89 million euros in 2017 to 6.89 million euros in 2018, “That’s 2.92 million in the acquisition of parking meters,” he added. It is in this direction that his opposition group will vote against the 2018 administrative account: “You have therefore succeeded in meeting the State’s objectives. We are not tied to these objectives since we did not vote for this financial contract.”
“We pay more to get less”
Fabrice Decoupigny, municipal councilor from the Europe Ecology The Greens opposition, highlighted a “feat” of this 2018 report. “I naïvely thought that by paying more taxes, we could invest more.” According to him, the administrative account reveals the public policy conducted in Nice. He questioned what the city is actually doing in terms of the environment: “The environmental expenditures are zero, 0 euros of investment to combat pollution and preserve natural environments.” Regarding social housing, the ecologist councilor recalled the majority’s delay: “If at least the money were used for social housing, one could understand, but once again we are in the red with only 12.5% of social housing, which is half of what the law requires.” With irony, Fabrice Decoupigny pointed out that “The 6 million paid to the Formula 1 Grand Prix sticks in his throat,” while the bicycle plan represents only 500,000 euros. The ecologists will vote “No” to this resolution, denouncing “The lack of environmental policy.”
The opposition group “CNIP-Divers Droite,” composed of Oliver Bettati, Benoît Kandel, and Joseph Calza, also submitted a negative vote for the 2018 administrative report.
