With 115 votes in favor and 15 abstentions or against, the metropolitan councilors approved the budget for the current year. This overwhelming majority supporting Christian Estrosi could limit the discussion of this act to the usual technical, precise, and concise explanations from his finance officer Philippe Pradal.
However, how can the president of the Metropolis be prevented from speaking out against this government that reduces state grants due to debt: Yes, debts must be paid back, which reduces budget availability, even those contracted before May 6, 2012, and which had been increased by around 600 billion during the previous presidential term. And against the Region for adopting a policy entirely serving Marseille interests and detrimental to the Nice territory?
Fortunately, in his predictions and wishes, the elections will settle all that: The Region is the next target; beware of bringing Marseille neighbours into line, not to mention post-2017 when the gates will open, and the state treasury will become a cash dispenser to finance development projects that will make the Nice metropolis internationally renowned.
In the meantime, “what you will see,” it’s necessary to deal with reality and return to the figures: the consolidated budget (including companies and boards) amounts to 1,377,124,682 euros, distributed into 894 million euros for operating costs and 482 million euros for investment.
The centerpiece of Christian Estrosi’s policy is the 0% tax increase confirmed for this budget (in fact, this isn’t quite accurate since the base for calculations is expanded annually by inflation, though in recent years…). Budget balance is achieved by a strict savings plan — according to the Metropolis President — despite a reduction in state grants by 21.5 million euros, plus an additional 4 million from the departmental council (noting the curious habit of adding up restrictive measures by summing figures from several years just to inflate them, while annual reports are…annual!).
The budget’s priorities have been reiterated more than once: refusing to activate the tax lever, saving on operational costs (-10 million euros), and maintaining the level of investment (with a slight contraction of 10 million euros on the primary budget of 131 million).
In times of economic gloom, while waiting for the time to soar, this is called prudent financial management. And beyond the perpetual self-congratulation, which becomes tedious over time, Christian Estrosi must be acknowledged for this.
The sentiment is not the same among the opposition, whose number has further decreased with two elected officials taking their freedom: Is it Aventin before joining other ranks?
Marie-Christine Arnautu passionately debated the level of debt (nearly 1.2 billion euros), which she considers “worrying,” and accused the president of the Metropolis of “dangerous forward momentum,” casting doubt (a gentle euphemism?) on his “repayment capacity.”
In response to the definition of “good actress,” attributed by Christian Estrosi during the debate on budget orientations, the Front National elected official called him a “sacred joker!” It seems the president of the Metropolis should think twice before criticizing a lady and remember that “mulier malus necessarium est” (especially in these times of …parity). So why not behave chivalrously?
With a less sharp but equally negative tone was Patrick Allemand’s intervention, who as the First Vice-President of the PACA Region, refuted Christian Estrosi’s unfounded, according to him, accusations against the Region, redirecting the responsibility onto him and attributing it to political motives.
The socialist opponent revisited the issue of increased debt mainly due to expenditures for tram line 2, and needless to say, the additional costs generated by the tunnel.
Other investment sectors did not escape criticism: The National Interest Operation, which is struggling to reach its full potential (yes, competition for business attractiveness is fierce), and the entrepreneurship center for start-ups lacking crucial densification (the primary condition for success). Or the housing policy (social and non-social), which falls far short of creating the right conditions for welcoming future residents of the Metropolis, not to mention failing to meet current needs.
If the 2015 budget was the main course of this public Metropolitan Council session, the dessert was not lacking in flavor either: it was the project to transfer the MIN to La Baronne.
President Christian Estrosi, once again assisted by the Finance Commission President Philippe Pradal, presented the guidelines of this dossier expressed in a truly innovative formula: separating the real estate aspect (construction and maintenance or facility management) from management. The former will be entrusted as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to a company that will make the investment (most likely the same one handling construction), while a municipal company (currently chaired by the dynamic municipal, metropolitan, and departmental councilor Nicole Merlino) will be responsible for management, acting as an interface for professional operators.
“This has nothing to do with a public agro-food development platform for local agriculture, open to the public and not just professionals,” replied the ecologist councilor Decoupigny.
“Beyond the financing formula for the operation, as presented, it’s merely a relocation,” added the elected official, finally pointing out: “In fact, you are sending the MIN to La Baronne because it interfered with the Grand Arenas project, one of your term’s priorities, and you dress your deliberation with some short-supply chain rhetoric.”
The opponent thus hinted at the likelihood of a land transaction rather than the development of metropolitan agriculture.
And, moreover, it is simply noticeable that Christian Estrosi feels more comfortable and aligned with real estate than with agriculture or horticulture.
But once again, the majority prevailed (Decoupigny! How many divisions? Comrade Stalin would have asked), and the deliberation was adopted.
