The announcement by Christian Estrosi, wearing his hat as President of the Métropole, regarding the 2018-2020 investment plan coupled with a new tax on buildings and the sale of the equity held in the company managing the airports, has dropped like a little bomb!
In fact, for years, the opposition had been on the defensive against the metropolitan “dominus”.
It’s too perfect an opportunity to miss a few jabs, isn’t it?
Let’s start with Robert Injey (PCF Nice), always vigilant even if excluded from the Métropole Council, as he focuses on the numbers:
“A few months ago, on September 7, 2017, for the 5th anniversary of the Métropole’s creation, Christian Estrosi praised the 1.8 billion invested by the Métropole since 2012. An average annual investment during the 2012-2017 period of 340 million euros.
On March 5, 2018, Christian Estrosi announced 420 million in investments over 36 months for the 2018-2020 period, that’s 140 million euros per year.”
“How can we not observe the collapse of the Métropole’s investments?” is his question, which already includes the answer.
His conclusion is severe: “The Estrosi method is reaching one of its limits here. The one who undoubtedly thought he would be re-elected smoothly on his record is being caught by his old demon: debt…”
The three members of the group “A Different Future for Nice” (socialists love the collective…) headline their statement with “from lies to renouncements”, which, all by itself, says it all! and remind us that “on December 11, 2008, Christian Estrosi, who had just been elected mayor, defined himself as an ‘avowed enemy’ of taxes, although he immediately increased them by 15%.”
By adding up the successive increases (5% reduction in the general exemption rate plus a new property tax), he who self-proclaims himself as an “avowed enemy” of taxes ‘will have increased them, to this date, by more than 30% during his two terms” of office.
Dominique-Boy Mottard (DvG), chose irony and the famous Gillette double blade razor slogan: “after having minimized the weight of the debt, he must now face reality: to finance the investments, it is the taxpayer who will be shaved” – this is her analysis.
Finally, Marie-Christine Arnautu (FN) speaks with her usual candor: “
I had warned during my intervention on the Métropole’s 2016 budget that the citizens of Nice should brace for an increase in fiscal charges, as they are already subjected to one of the heaviest local tax burdens in the country. The wall is approaching fast.” So here we are facing the wall!
The conclusion is no less harsh: “This new levy on the inhabitants of all the Métropole’s municipalities clearly serves only to satisfy the desires and delusions of Christian Estrosi.”
