Thau Basin: the initial 2024 budget of Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée voted despite the turmoil

Ce sont les questions financières qui ont concentré les échanges, ce jeudi 21 mars à Poussan, lors du conseil communautaire. MIDI LIBRE

It was financial questions that focused the discussions this Thursday, March 21 in Loupian, during the community council.

Three weeks after their tense battle during the budgetary orientation debate, community elected officials met this Thursday, March 21 in Loupian to ratify the choices financial resources of Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée for the year 2024. If the tension has largely subsided, dissensions remain on the initial budget presented to elected officials by the vice-president and mayor of Gigean Marcel Stoecklin.

In this case a total envelope of 226 million euros (including the various ancillary budgets) whose financial base is mainly based on taxation. The elected officials thus approved the renewal of the tax rates of the tax on built land (4.10%), on unbuilt land (5.11%) and ;nbsp;the housing tax on second homes (20.18%).

66.8 M€ for investment

In 2024, 66.8 million euros will be dedicated to investments with sanitation, transport and development as the main areas of expenditure of the territory. "This budget is part of a social and economic context which now has a lasting impact on local authorities, but the Agglopôle has chosen to ensure the full exercise of the services provided to the population and to maintain its investment program at a high level", argued the majority.

A presentation which did not change the minds of the skeptics, like the mayor of Frontignan, who once again defended a return to "budgetary orthodoxy". "The real question is that of our financial room for maneuver for the years to come. Our recourse to borrowing is increasing to finance investments which will have to be stopped at one point or another. Today, I say, I am worried", explained Michel Arrouy before concluding with a very diplomatic formula: "The town of Frontignan will abstain during the vote, but in a constructive manner&quot ;.

"I understand the concern, but I won't be so alarmist"

Sébastien Pacull, for his part, chose the destructive method to say all the bad things he thought about this 2024 budget. Sneering “a budgetary disorientation which is ;rsquo;apparent to a serious cash burn", highlighting "net savings which are melting" (14.6M€) and "a debt reduction capacity which is increasing" (5.8 years). Not enough to win the support of the assembly which finally voted on this initial budget, despite 21 abstentions and 2 oppositions.

"I understand the concern, but I won't be so alarmist. The investments made recently were necessary and will no longer be necessary. Agree for vigilance, but without pessimism in view of the indicators. As for financial orthodoxy, this means that we must keep the commitments we make today, without adding new expenses during the year& ;quot;, concluded Marcel Stoecklin.

Rejected in December, the special fee finally adopted

The debate also focused on the evolution of the rates of the special fee on waste. This fee implemented by the Agglo in 2011 concerns professionals producing more than 1,200 liters of waste per week and not being subject to the Household Waste Removal Tax (TEOM). "It is now appropriate to develop it on the principle of 'he who produces must pay'. We are talking here about social justice in the cost of treatment", indicates Laurence Magne. Presented in the form of a single deliberation last December, the new pricing was rejected by community elected officials. This Thursday, they finally validated it (28 votes for, 18 against including the mayors of Mèze and Frontignan and 2 abstentions).

"I am delighted that the debate took place and that some people understood what was going on. By charging by volume, but also according to the quality of the selective sorting carried out, we encourage the sorting of waste by professionals. And it works. For two years, the volumes processed have been decreasing. We must continue our efforts."

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