The data processed at the provincial institution reflects that the +Cerca Plan has tripled the investment of the Cooperation Fund in the municipalities of Alicante. While the alternative bet of the Provincial Assembly was allocated 43.5 million to the provincial municipalities, Generalitat’s contribution to the investment project remained at 14.3 million. In the State Palace, one would rave about another, perhaps more persuasive piece of information. Of the 141 Alicante municipalities, there are only two that are doing better than the Council’s plan, the two with the largest populations: Alicante Y elche. At the initiative of the state agency, 139 out of 141 towns in Alicante are doing better.
The investment plan of the Provincial General Assembly was included in the provincial budgets approved at the extraordinary general assembly held last Friday. At that plenary session, the PP and C’s asserted their majority, as the two left-wing parties PSPV-PSOE and Compromís were opposed to it. In the case of the socialists, they voted against the current post for the third time. The only time they abstained was in 2020, when the health crisis that ravaged the planet broke out. Compromís voted against it for the first time in his term, as its spokesperson Gerard Fullana had abstained in the previous three years as the elections approached. PSPV spokesperson Toni Francés justified the vote against the government team’s rejection of the Co-operative Fund. Compromís condemned it Provincial surcharge removed Tax on Economic Activities (IAE)A move they estimated lost nine million to allocate to the City Council’s budget.
Alicante and Elche
With Cooperation FundAlicante would receive €857,510 next year for the €535,000 provided by +Cerca. In the case of Elche, it would receive 696,670 euros from the Generalitat, while it would receive 540,000 euros from the Provincial Assembly. These are just two cases where the Consell-promoted distribution provides more resources. The next most populous municipalities are already better off with the commitment of the provincial agency. These are Torrevieja (527,842 Euros 435,522 Euros), Orihuela (603.940 Euros, 416,868 Euros), Benidorm (434,118 Euros, 389,491 Euros), Alcoy (469,822 Euros, 358,857 Euros) and Elda (432,551 Euros, 338,77 Euros).
«+Proof that Cerca de la Diputación gives more money to municipalities compared to other schemes such as the Cooperation Fund. Another advantage is that our model is more flexible, because it allows city councils to allocate resources both for investment and for current expenditure,” says Javier Gutiérrez, a spokesperson for Cs, also a deputy for Infrastructures and Attention to Municipalities. it minimizes the money given to small towns. Some regions would receive 200,000 euros with our distribution model, while the Generalitat would give them 15,000 euros,” adds the representative of the liberal establishment.
Another advantage that Gutiérrez values is that Diputación is not solely dedicated to running an economic distribution as it provides municipalities with other resources. “For example, a town hall with a population of 500 cannot be given two million for the construction of a school without other resources, because it cannot afford the project on its own. This was one of the biggest mistakes. Arrangement Plan The state of the Generalitat’s educational infrastructures,” complains the Cs spokesperson in the State Assembly.
mason
Gutiérrez’s rapport with President Mazón is complete. To close the debate on the approval of budgets last Friday, the provincial head of state used some arguments very similar to those put forward by the Infrastructure MP in his speech. “We have disagreements with the opposition regarding the Cooperation Fund, but we do not harm the municipality. There is a record investment in the province. Citizens are scorched by inflation, and we are mitigating that with the suppression of the IAE,” he said.
The government team also congratulates them for the support they have received from the Valencian Community TSJ, citing the main institutional conflict with the Autonomous Administration. Moving towards an election year when the Provincial Assembly’s allocation to the Cooperation Fund should come into effect, the resolution gave full authority to the provincial organization to approve budgets. As a matter of fact, in the last months, work was being done with a plan b for accounts in the Provincial Palace, and finally 13.4 million had to be allocated to the plan promoted by Consell.
“The Generalitat tried to steal our accounts with an invasive scheme that attacked the financial autonomy of the Provincial Assembly, but for the time being it was not getting away thanks to the proper functioning of the Rule of Law,” Gutiérrez said. before adding that, through the budget, he states that “autonomous and central government is concerned with alleviating the inadequate financing to which the province is subject.” In the same vein, Eduardo Dolón, spokesman for the popular group, said that TSJ’s decision to temporarily suspend its obligation to contribute 13.4 million to the Co-operative Fund “is in the best interest of the people of Alicante, because otherwise aid will be reduced and calls for budget and investment reaching all municipalities.
Those who did not agree with this decision of the judiciary and the rejection of the government team were the mayors of the socialist provinces, who gathered at the gates of the Provincial Palace last Tuesday. While PSPV councilors denounced that refusing to participate in the Co-operative Fund has meant a hundred million losses over the past seven years, they also accused President Mazón of supporting a policy that seeks institutional conflict.
The day after the socialist rally, the government team tried to stage a coup, announcing an agreement with Compromís spokesperson Fullana to increase the +Cerca donation by 13.5 million. Despite this understanding, it was not possible for the Valencian coalition to abstain at the general assembly where the budgets were approved. Of course, the City Council’s investment plan has grown by 45%, so Alicante municipalities will be allocated more resources in favor of the smallest municipalities.
A record budget where the mission is over
Beyond the controversy surrounding the Co-operative Fund, the City Council’s government team submitted a record budget last week to close the current mandate. Accounts approved at the general meeting on Friday reached 283.7 million, a 4.3% growth over last year. The budget also includes freezing the salaries of MPs and advisers, which will save 114,000 euros, and a complete suspension of the provincial IAE surcharge that companies will stop paying.