An important moment. The Nice Côte d’Azur Agglomeration Community will become an Urban Community in 2009. This is not just a matter of vocabulary. The transition to Urban Community status will allow for a doubling of State funding. It will increase from 22.7 million per year to 45.3 million. “It’s another rupture and at the same time a renewal. It’s a logical evolution of a young institution, and I understand the apprehension of some. It’s not an adventure but a collective work,” explains Christian Estrosi, Deputy Mayor of Nice, President of the General Council and President of CANCA. At the creation of CANCA, it was necessary to convince the residents of the 24 municipalities. Those of Vence, La Gaude, and Saint-Jeannet were not in favor.
60 days after taking office as president of CANCA, Christian Estrosi wants to act quickly. As quickly as possible. The system for allocating funds will be modified from 2009. The State would apparently give less money afterward. Only Michel Santinelli (PS) and municipal councilor of Cagnes sur Mer voted against it. Monique Giraud-Lazzari, mayor of Coaraze, Simon Pégurier, and Catherine Alinat (municipal councilors of Vence) abstained. The opposition community councilors of Nice voted in favor. Patrick Allemand legitimizes his vote: “It’s an opportunity. There is a chance, and it must be seized. It goes in the direction of History. It was the Jospin government and Jean-Pierre Chevènement who put this system in place for Urban Communities. There’s a logic and it’s not uninteresting. The allocation was €44 per inhabitant. It will be €85. It would require an irresponsible official not to understand.”
The other major deliberation of the day concerned the development of the public transport network. It involves extending Tram Line 1 towards Pasteur Hospital, La Trinité, and Saint André La Roche, building Line 2 by making it pass through La Promenade des Anglais, the Moulins Quarter, connecting to Nikaïa, the future intermodal station and the future Grand Stadium, crossing the Var to reach Saint-Laurent du Var and Cagnes sur Mer. The work will begin at the end of 2010, early 2011, and will be completed by the end of 2013. The deliberation was voted unanimously. Christian Estrosi made an appeal to Patrick Allemand, inviting him to ensure that the Regional Council, of which he is Vice-President, finances the project at the same level as the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes, that is, 25%.
Another resolution in the same area was voted on: strengthening the public transport network from July 1st. The bus lines 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 22, 23, and the noctambus will see an increase in frequency, line 24 will be modified. There will also be more buses on the weekends. The Tram will be improved, and the journey will be faster, increasing frequency and capacity. The Tram cars will go from 33 meters to 44 meters.
