99th Congress of Mayors: defend the elected municipal finances – The Point

The last congress of the mayors of France before the 2017 presidential election is under the signs of state grants. Their fall, to be precise. City officials came to Paris from throughout France for three days in Congress to get off reductions credits from the state to municipalities. This 99th Congress, which must accommodate more than 10,000 elected in three days, opened door Versailles in the presence of the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and will be closed by a long-awaited intervention of President François Hollande, . Thursday

the elected, face additional charges – such as the consequences of reform of school time – displayed their determination: “Our claim is simple, it is the suppression of the 2017 tranche” , amounting to € 3.7 billion, depreciation of decreases, reiterated Tuesday, May 31 the President of the Association of mayors of France (AMF), Baroin, before the opening of debate. Initiated in 2014 with a decrease of EUR 1.5 billion, reducing state grants to communities must cover 11 billion from 2015 to 2017. This decrease in depreciation strike the budget of local officials so that today all the associations of local councilors, all tendencies claiming stopping punctures and cancellation of the wafer 2017.

Meanwhile, the State shows its firmness. In an interview with Southwest, Francois Hollande announced Tuesday it would hold before the mayors’ a discourse of truth. ” “I’ve made sure to generate one billion euros this year to support investment communes and intercommunal,” he recalled, saying “attentive to the situation of communities” but also the guarantor of commitments made at European level.

the budget of the common reduced from 200 to 130 billion euros

If the president’s position does not change, the outright abandonment the 2017 installment seems unlikely, but the AMF considers very inadequate assuming a simple renewal in 2017 of the investment fund of one billion euros released for 2016. “I warn right away, it This is not to equate one billion euros in respect of deleted 28 billion over the three years “(2015-2017), insists François Baroin. According to the Chairman of the AMF, the municipalities should still have “663 million” euros correspond to the reform of school time decided by the government. A bill that goes wrong with the mayors who have not asked anything, “Since the State decided that organization, no one would be shocked that 100% finance a measure he decreed. “

During these three days, the Association of Mayors hopes to trigger an awareness at the state summit. For today their communities are paralyzed: lower provisions and higher expenses have a particularly negative effect on investment of Commons from 200 billion for all municipalities over the period 2001-2007 130 billion over 2014-2019, according to the AMF. A fall with serious consequences on employment, especially in public works.

Engaging the presidential candidates and Europe

The AMF also points out the negative consequences of depreciation decreases the ability of the French authorities to participate in the Juncker plan for boosting growth in Europe. But if he does not want to interfere in the French debate, the President of the European Commission nevertheless recalled three imperatives: “We need a sustainable fiscal consolidation,” but also “structural reforms that France is trying to apply “this” investment without losing sight of “engine of growth and employment.

in addition to the congress, the association intends to maintain pressure by organizing in March 2017 an “exceptional meeting” which mayors will be invited all candidates in the presidential election. The opportunity to get them to commit to a term of contract between the state and communities. To offset the declines in credit, mayors have accelerated in recent years the reorganization of municipal services, but also cuts staffing and public service delivery. They know they can count on the support of their constituents. According to an Ipsos survey, 73% of French remain strongly attached to the common, beyond political or generational lines.