The Alicante Provincial Council prepared itself for a key budget session scheduled for the coming Wednesday. The main agenda is to approve the 2024 budget, with the governing team from the PP expected to manage the accounts unless a last-minute change arises. Opposing blocs PSPV-PSOE and Compromís have signaled their intent to vote against the proposal. The core disagreement centers on the inclusion and scope of the Municipal Cooperation Fund, which has generated tensions within the council. Supporters argue that the fund is essential for municipal projects, such as Botany initiatives, while critics insist on broader reforms that would improve budgetary flexibility. Beyond this, Valencian leadership has underscored broader concerns, including the removal of the state surcharge on the Tax on Economic Activities and its potential impact on local financing.
The Finance Commission, which met earlier in the week, did not resolve the financial impasse. PSPV and Compromís have indicated a willingness to align with the government team on certain points, yet they remain firm on others. Even though the government accepted twenty amendments proposed by the opposition, totaling more than 1.6 million euros, the ongoing debate over the Cooperation Fund persists. The social-political spokespeople emphasized a constructive tone from the first vice president, Ana Serna, but that tone has not translated into decisive movement to shift voting dynamics ahead of the planned session. The central question remains whether there is enough argument to overcome the obstacle presented by the Cooperation Fund and to prevent a delay in the vote on the seventh. The Socialists have already defended their previous vote against the budget due to the government team’s stance on the Cooperation Fund.
PP and PSPV clashed over budget delay and paralysis of activity in Alicante Provincial Council
In the wake of the draft budget presentation at the close of 2023, PSPV recorded a substantial number of proposed changes. The government team accepted a portion as full agreements and another portion as partial concessions. The Socialist spokesperson highlighted roughly a dozen additional amendments proposed by the Finance Commission, many of which remained unresolved in the latest discussions. He argued that the cooperation fund was cited as optional by the Generalitat’s budget law for this year, yet participation in the fund remains a point of contention for the council, particularly given the absence of compulsory participation.
The Compromís spokesperson acknowledged the negotiation effort by the governing team but warned that Valencians are still inclined to vote against the package in the general assembly. The coalition criticized PSPV’s approach to the Cooperation Fund and lamented the removal of the state surcharge on the IAE, arguing that fewer restrictions on the fund could limit the council’s ability to maneuver the budget and address the needs of smaller municipalities.
Regarding Vox, two of the eighteen amendments submitted were considered by the PP. One suggested increasing the Emergency Fund in the County Council’s budget from 192,000 euros to 2.8 million euros in the upcoming year, though the fund’s allocation would ultimately be revised downward to 234,000 euros. Other amendments from Vox proposed measures such as removing the Equality article, mandating the inclusion of the Valencian language and culture, or embedding the 2030 Agenda more deeply. All of these were rejected. The Vox spokesperson indicated he would confer with his party to determine the vote’s meaning in the general assembly.
The anticipated rejection of the PSPV and Compromís proposals could lead to a political situation rarely seen in the current mandate. The governing team, led by the province’s president, has approved only one budget in an election year, a notable anomaly. As the discussions over this year’s accounts and the opposition’s proposed changes unfold, Vice President Serna stated that contributions benefiting the state will be included regardless of their origin, underscoring the council’s commitment to collaborative outcomes even amid sharp disagreements.