Once “discovered” by those holding public offices who should have been aware of it for a long time, the “purchasing power” vein has become the object of all desires.
If you then add “social and tax justice,” it’s the full package! And it gives the right to wear—if not a too characteristic vest—at least a more subdued yellow cap!
Next Friday, as publicly announced during the first week of the Yellow Vests’ activities, the President of the Metropolis, Christian Estrosi, will ask the councilors to deliberate on a 20-euro energy check per month for motorists traveling more than 30 kilometers daily between their workplace and home. The measure will be financed up to 500,000 euros, and it is estimated that just over 2,000 people will benefit from it. To say it’s going to change things….
Not stopping there, the municipal and metropolitan “socialist” group “A Different Future for Nice” will also present proposals aimed at the most modest families and young people.
School meals at 1 euro*
The proposal is to reduce the current rates (which vary based on the family quotient) from 1.70 euros (kindergarten) and 2.27 euros (elementary) to a flat 1 euro.
If this proposal were accepted, the annual savings would be 100.80 euros (kindergarten) and 182.88 euros (elementary).
The proposal takes into account the price increases from 2008 to 2018 which, according to the comparative tables presented, rose from 1.43 to 1.70 euros / +18.88% (kindergarten) and from 1.40 to 2.27 euros / +62.14% (elementary).
According to another table, comparing the 10 largest French cities, Nice is the most expensive city in all cases. It should be noted that while Nice only has 2 pricing brackets, there are 10 in Paris and even 16 in Lille, allowing for a more refined application of prices/income.
The underlying “political” considerations of the proposal
Nice is the city where the poor pay the most: in primary school, the reduced rate is 2.27 euros, whereas it is less than 1 euro everywhere else: for example, 0.23 euro in Bordeaux, 0.50 euro in Lille.
Nice is the city where the richest pay the least for the canteen. The full rate is 2.95 euros for kindergarten and 3.25 euros for primary. In other cities, the rich pay more: for example, 4.41 euros in Bordeaux, 7.30 euros in Lyon.
The proposals
Introducing a progressive scale with 5 different brackets taking into account the resources of families, with a 1-euro rate for the most modest families.
A discount when several children from the same family eat at the canteen.
Total free RLA transport for those under 25
The motivation
Make an effort towards young people to facilitate their mobility across the entire metropolitan territory and to discourage car use.
Today:
The primary and kindergarten school fee is 45 euros per year.
The “Pass bleu azur” for those aged 18-25 is 153 euros per year.
The annual fee for those under 19 is 122.50 euros per year.
The fee for apprentices and students aged 19-25 is 145 euros per year.
Conclusion
Let’s leave to the divinatory art of soothsayers the prediction of what will follow these proposals.
Cato—quoted by Cicero in “De divinatione” (II-51)—didn’t he say that “two soothsayers cannot look at each other without laughing”?
