He proposes “capacity and energy” to “unlock and come out of stupor” in a city he fell in love with from a very young age, and boasts of being from neighborhoods, especially Correntías. Carolina Gracia is running for election at age 36 after running Orihuela last year following a no-confidence motion that ousted the PP from power.
QUESTION: One of the reasons for the motion of no confidence was the blockade of the government team. What did they achieve?
REPLY: First of all, the management itself. The level of disagreement and conflict that the PP had brought the previous government team into was worrisome, especially since the administration was blocked. We reversed this, understanding that the differences between the different parties would be set aside and progress would be made on the necessary issues.
“Differences have been set aside to move forward on necessary matters”
Q: What problems did you solve last year?
A: Projects are flowing. Work that has not started, such as the rehabilitation of buildings such as Rubalcava Palace, Monserrate Savings Bank, Twin Waterwheels, or the old courts, continues. Of the 100 street cleaners I met when I arrived, there are now more than 160 in high season. Businesses that have never received consumer checks before have had two consumer checks this year. The regulated parking lot, which has been inactive for months, came into effect in record time. Or sensitive issues such as the launch of the municipal mental health service, for which the PP reimbursed Generalitat’s assistance for two years, or the promotion of issues such as the Oriol vocational center and residence.
Q: The latter, with the help of the Generalitat. How was your relationship with Consell?
A: We brought health to the relationship with Generalitat, which PP insisted on taking sides. And the result is clear: further investment, purchase of the former mental hospital to locate the Oriol residence, purchase of the Marqués de Rafal Palace as the only headquarters of the Generalitat Presidency that is not in the provincial capital. It was very upsetting that President Ximo Puig was constantly shaking Orihuela’s hand and PP biting instead of cooperating further. President Puig and I have worked in coordination with his vision of the future, which has been good for Orihuela.
“It was so sad that President Ximo Puig kept shaking Orihuela’s hand and PP biting him”
Q: What happened that failed to progress in this year of government?
A: We were clear that it is difficult to achieve everything in a year of government. Very limited time and management is not as fast as we would like. However, I am satisfied that more projects are being run in one year than in the previous seven years of PP governments. I wish I had more time to fully resolve the swap of all expired or revoked contracts that PP left and that hurt companies above all else. I also had time to activate a well-planned maintenance plan to climb the steps in the care of neighborhoods, counties, and waterfront public spaces. That’s one of the first things I’ll do if the people of Oriolan give me the opportunity to continue being mayor after the 28th.
“I wish I had more time to resolve the exchange of expired or unresolved contracts leaving PP”
Q: Budgets would be raised to the board of directors. Why wasn’t it finally done? Will the prepared project be useful to whoever manages it after the election?
A: I must say the budget is complete. It has already gone through all departments and is ready to go through, let’s say, the political process: board of directors, plenary session, publication and possible changes. The procedure we have here prevents a deadline being given in the middle of the selection process. But we can say let whoever runs this city find him, and we can shelve the anomaly created by PP since 2018 without approving the budgets.
Q: It is noteworthy that the press conferences are first held jointly with Ciudadanos and then individually. Has there been wear and tear on the government team?
A: Well, not all press conferences or interventions were common in the beginning, but they were almost always tailored to the domains of government. In any case, every relationship has different sides or points of view, we are two sides. But the most important thing is that the differences do not mean the blockade of municipal activities that harm neighbors, as in the PP. It became clear that the element that always failed in the governance formula was the PP.
“The purpose of the management was not to spy on each other, but to remove the barrier”
Q: You have been criticized for putting too much weight on Ciudadanos, even though you always argued there was a balance. Were you able to regulate or follow issues such as commitment and urbanism?
A: We said this when we were talking about balance because we were two parties, one with six councilors, the PSOE, and the other with five C’s. That is, without major numerical differences. And we achieve this global balance in different areas such as mayor, board of directors and local mayors. And it didn’t work badly. The management’s purpose was not to keep an eye on each other, but to remove the barrier. And of course there are things I like more and things I like less about the management of Ciudadanos. But PP can’t lecture on this. Mr. Bascuñana gave Ciudadanos the same councilors he had with us, but with a 9 to 6 councilor ratio. His criticisms are not very convincing.
“I feel much more supported politically and socially in the government after this year”
Q: By contrast, relations with Cambiemos have cooled. More lonely after this year?
A: The truth is, I feel much more supported politically and socially in government after this year. As for Cambiemos, they began to cool the relationship as the election season approached. Game strategy has a lot to do with it here. I understand too. But PSOE and Cambiemos have a profession to progress, which means we have more in common than dissonance, as in Botany.
Q: Who would you agree with?
A: We’ll see on May 28. I hope to have a large majority that will enable us to govern alone. In any case, we are open to agreements with parties that believe in policies of progress and advocate diversity, equality and more opportunity and a more social Orihuela.
Q: Does it have red lines?
A: Redline Vox and PP seem willing to agree with someone who has already said they will curtail the rights of battered women, gays and lesbians, or who doesn’t believe in health care or public education. Besides worrying about his forensic situation, Mr. Vegara should also worry about the groups Vox wants to break their wings with, but they apparently don’t care.
“Mr. Vegara, in addition to his forensic situation, must deal with the groups Vox wants to break his wings with”
Q: What issues will be prioritized after the elections?
A: In my opinion, start the maintenance and improvement plans of the neighborhood, neighborhood and beach streets, parks and gardens. With a 3 million increase in budget and an additional shock plan on treasury remains. Also, this can be done right away. Keep increasing staff for the cleanliness of the municipality and driving two important issues: Land for Sports City and business park. Initial assistance with housing is also a start-up aid for families or individuals in the historic center and neighborhoods to be able to purchase and rehabilitate homes and revitalize neighborhoods with a plan designed to enable young people to access their first homes. lots of vacant houses.
“It was driven by impulses and events and therefore difficult to progress in a planned manner”
Q: What are the star recommendations of your election program?
A: As I said before, maintenance and cleaning are very important. We all deserve to live in a cleaner and more careful space. It seems to me very important that Orihuela has a Strategic Plan agreed upon with the whole socioeconomic fabric, drawing on the work of the Civic Council, from which many ideas came, but remained frozen. In many ways we need to be clear about Orihuela’s direction. It is driven by impulses and events and therefore difficult to proceed in a planned manner. Again, it is very important for me to have land for a business park, because we cannot allow companies that want to start their own business but can’t, create new spaces for workers’ training and make freelancers’ jobs easier. freelancers such as co-working centers. Of course Sports City is an absolute priority as well as strengthening the social coverage of the municipality with more services. Also, for the first time in Orihuela history, create a Leisure Plan in May that young people and families want from us. We have committed ourselves, together with our neighbors, to implement Ximo Puig’s decision to consider families with two children as extended families, and we will do so by increasing the prescribed benefits and opening up assistance to single-parent families.