After a week of budget talks, the focus for the 2024 accounts shifting into next year’s Generalitat has moved toward Alicante’s Provincial Assembly. The opposition urges the People’s Party government team to accelerate the budget restructuring process. The socialist bloc’s spokesperson, Vicente Arques, laments, “It’s November and there’s still no clarity.”
In this context, President Toni Pérez explains that the budget remains in draft form, noting that national political uncertainty shapes local budgeting since the central administration is still in flux. He adds that municipalities face the same uncertainty, and that the spending limits have not been conveyed to the province. The reference is to both the pandemic-era spending rule suspension and transfers tied to national tax collection.
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Beyond expressing regret over the lack of progress on the November budget issue, the socialist group has been the most vocal. Arques publicly said he requested working meetings with the government team but did not receive replies. He also noted a 124 million euro decrease in Alicante’s provincial investment in the Generalitat budget compared to the previous Botànic accounts, and he expressed hope that the provincial institution could make up for this gap. Reports indicate a determination to find remedies within the system.
President Toni Pérez, however, responded to the instability stemming from the national government’s unclear status by defending a pragmatic budgeting approach. Carlos Mazón’s council supported the stance that regional accounts should enable achievable targets rather than allowing inflated figures, aiming for realistic implementation rather than echoing past missteps at the State House.
Encounters
The opposition is pressing for a schedule of meetings to resolve the current stalemate, and government sources consulted for this piece indicate sessions will run through November. Those same sources note limited progress on budget issues in recent days, as Pérez remains focused on the budget discussions. In nearby developments, the London Fair Tourism sector saw the Consell announce a project to abolish the tourist tax, a topic approved at the general assembly meeting on Friday.
Nevertheless, Provincial Council departments continue refining their numbers, consolidating allocations that should be transferred and grouped into a coherent budget plan. Pérez emphasizes his commitment to engaging all political groups to hear budget proposals and to foster a transparent process.
There is also mention of ongoing outreach to Compromí for a meeting with the president, reflecting a history where the Valencian coalition frequently reached consensus on provincial accounts. In this juncture, the demand remains for municipalities’ projects to receive consideration from the government team, reflecting a broader push for inclusive budgeting across local scales.