On April 15, it was written: “Imperative for some, optional for others. Christian Estrosi had the 2008 budget of the city of Nice voted on Monday, April 14, without having first held a budget orientation debate.” The opposition had two months to file an appeal. During a press conference organized at the city hall on Tuesday, Patrick Allemand, leader of the socialist opposition, announced: “We filed an appeal for the cancellation of the 2008 budget last Friday before the Administrative Court. It is a logical follow-up to the City Council of April 14.” During this, the Deputy Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, had the 2008 budget voted without organizing budget orientation debates, citing two reasons. The first: it is not mandatory to debate the budget when there are no internal regulations, based on a 1995 State Council jurisprudence. The second: the debate took place during the municipal campaign.
Patrick Allemand refutes the arguments of Christian Estrosi: “The 1995 jurisprudence dates from a time when internal regulations were being implemented. It seems isolated compared to a significant number of judgments requiring the holding of budget orientation debates. It should be added that this did not prevent Christian Estrosi from organizing debates during the last city council meetings.” He continues: “It is a denial of democracy to say that the budget orientation debate took place during the electoral campaign. The budget vote is a fundamental political act.” The opposition is also surprised that the internal regulations, initially included as deliberation number one of the first City Council, disappeared at the last moment.
The socialist party, however, did not file an interim order that would have forced the court to speed up the judgment. It could have placed the budget under the supervision of the prefect and prevented Christian Estrosi from financing municipal projects. The appeal will not be judged in 2008. Thus, if the 2008 budget is not validated by the administrative court, the 2009 budget will be in effect. Patrick Allemand specifies: “If we win the appeal, we will show the public that Christian Estrosi was wrong from the start of the mandate. We don’t want to cause chaos; we just want to ensure the texts are respected.” It is a symbolic action and a message addressed to Christian Estrosi and the voters of Nice. “The first message is to tell Christian Estrosi that he is not allowed to do whatever he wants. The second is to show the public that we are vigilant.”
The vigilance of the Nice opposition will thus be examined within a year. In the meantime, Christian Estrosi and his majority can continue the implementation of their project, validated by the city council on April 14, 2008.
zip_PV_14_avril_2008.zip
*Download the minutes of the city council of April 14, 2008*
