The socialist mayor of the capital, Anne Hidalgo, regretted an “empty chair policy”.
In the premises of the Changer Paris group, on the second floor of the town hall, the atmosphere was boiling. Tuesday morning, barely the Council of Paris opened, the elected LR decided to leave their monthly assembly to denounce the budgetary orientations by Anne Hidalgo. Before leaving, the president of the group, Rachida Datihas, at the microphone, strongly challenged the socialist mayor of Paris, denouncing the sharp increase in the property tax planned from 2023, or more than 52% for Parisian owners. “Respect your public word! » launched the mayor of 7e borough to Anne Hidalgo who had promised in 2020 not to increase local taxes. “Paris is lucky to have a healthy financial situation”, supported the mayor of the capital, blaming “ an empty chair policy to his opposition LR. Hidalgo has also announced a savings plan of 250 million euros on operating costs.
This choice to leave the Council of Paris is rare. This has only happened once or twice since the start of this mandate, “ never on a budgetary file”, we assure the Republicans. The centrists of the presidential majority have chosen to participate in the debate.
Read alsoAt the Paris Council, the opposition announces that it will not participate in the budget debate
Headwind against “ this shock increase which will scare away the living forces of Paris”, true ” robbery “, Dati denounced on the sidelines: “The budget is the main marker of a term of office and of a policy. We should have been able to debate and discuss it in full transparency. » In question, the budget orientation document comprising the increase in the property tax. It was transmitted only very late to the elected officials upstream of the Paris Council, thus contravening the legal rules.
“A decision that fell from the sky”
Like the other LRs, the mayor of 16e district, Francis Szpiner, got carried away: “But what are they imagining? Given the economic situation in Paris, they can’t afford to ask us to work this way…It’s a sad end of term for her, believes the tenor of the bar. Its majority is divided, its finances are degraded and no longer allow it to give new impetus to the city. Without even speaking of the climate of filth and insecurity… The Parisians are not happy and it is not controversial to say so, it is an observation. If she walked in the streets of Paris, she would see this rejection! »
At his side, two former deputies from Paris, Brigitte Kuster and Philippe Goujon think no less. “ We will seize the regional prefect », warns the first. “ How was Anne Hidalgo able to announce such a decision without keeping elected officials informed – even those in her majority were unaware of it – and without allowing elected officials to do any work on this choice, not to mention a public debate? », denounces the second.
At the head of the environmental group, Fatoumata Koné said to herself “ little surprise » by the decision of Rachida Dati and her group. “ It is not the first time. Their arguments are so weak that they need noise and scandal. It won’t be the last time… » Within the majority however, if all share this budgetary choice, some wonder about the way Anne Hidalgo had to present it to the 32% of Parisian owners concerned. “The municipal executive has been preparing this increase since the summer, it was inevitable after the abolition of the housing taxwe advance. But nothing has been planned to dialogue with the Parisians, to discuss an agenda, stagger… We only have a decision that fell from the sky. Lack of preparation or deliberate manoeuvre, nothing goes. »
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