Traffic problems, the approaching presidential election, or tensions with the city of Grenoble around the water budget… The president of Grenoble-Alpes Métropole was the guest of France Bleu Isère this Thursday, January 20.
While the points of tension are increasing between the metropolis and the city of Grenoble – several files oppose them in court, such as the social housing file – the president of Grenoble-Alpes metropolis was the guest of France Bleu Isère this Thursday, January 20 . The opportunity to discuss all the current topics that are shaking the territory.
First, let’s talk about these points of tension that are multiplying between the metropolis and the city of Grenoble. Two cases oppose you in court, one on social housing and the other on water. Why this tension? How do you explain it?
Because ultimately, the interests of Grenoble are not always the interests of the metropolis and the 49 municipalities of the metropolis. My role is quite simply to ensure fairness on the scale of the entire metropolis and, as a result, to defend the interests of all metropolitans, and therefore to ensure that the necessary compromises are found.
And then on the question of water, it’s very simple. The legislator, when there was a transfer of competence in 2015, did not set up ad hoc commissions to assess the transfers. So what we have done in metropolitan France is to set up a cross-partisan mission – both the opposition and the majority – to simply supervise these transfers, so that everyone transfers well, since There was no question of metropolitans being harmed in their water bills. The principle is that water pays for water: the user’s bill will pay for the pipes, the loans to put them in place, the treatment if necessary… that’s the budget of the water.
However, we discovered in the transfers that part of the loans does not correspond to the water budget for the City of Grenoble. So part of the loan was naturally sent back to the city, since it rather corresponded to expenditure from the general budget of the city, and not from the water budget.
And so, you would say that there is deception on the part of the city of Grenoble?
No, because all this is still complicated. But there was a job, you know, it wasn’t done in a hurry, at the last moment. We had discussions that lasted three years on this subject. There were proposals to settle this subject, which were completely painless for the city of Grenoble, proposed both by Michel Savin and by Marc Oddon, which were not accepted. I regret it, but overall, my role is that in the end, the water budget is fair and perfect.
Beyond the opposition between the city center and the surrounding municipalities, is there not a political dimension to this, linked to your eventful re-election in 2020?
No, I do not think so. If some think so, it is their responsibility. Anyway, it’s not mine. Besides, I recall that in the past, there had been loans recovered by the metropolis which were not sufficient. Coming from the city of Grenoble, I immediately picked them up, which was rather positive for the city. In fact, the subject is purely technical, it does not suffer from political subjects. In fact, the question is “what is in the water budget?”. Point.
There is a field, perhaps, on which you will be able to reconcile: that of the climate and “Grenoble European green capital”. Eric Piolle says he is outraged by the absence of Emmanuel Macron at the official launch last Saturday. Is this your case too?
Personally, I consider that the territory deserves all the attention. We are pioneers of many things here. We don’t show big arms, it’s because it’s our collective history, we’ve always protected our territory and I think it can inspire. And so, me, if the President of the Republic wants to draw inspiration from Grenoble, from what is done there, he is largely welcome and we can actually show everything that is well done in this territory. Afterwards, we are not the only ones and the best. There are plenty of other things being done elsewhere.
But you do not regret his absence?
Listen, I don’t have to judge the position of the President of the Republic. It is he who decides. But it’s clear that this nomination shows the energy and the results that we have had for decades in this territory. And it’s not just the city of Grenoble, it’s not just the metropolis, it’s also the economic actors and the sports and cultural actors who have set all this in motion, the citizen actors. In fact, “European green capital” is a prize that is awarded to a territory, not a man, neither Eric Piolle, nor Christophe Ferrari, nor who knows who. It’s the collective territory that is recognized, that’s what we have to look at.
In terms of climate, a crucial date is approaching: a new course in the ZFE. Next July, Crit’Air 3 vehicles will be banned in 27 municipalities. In 2025, Crit’Air 2 vehicles will be banned. Does this timeline seem realistic to you?
In any case, it has been posed as such and we are working on its implementation with both derogations which are necessary when companies cannot find the conversion vehicles. The issue of utilities, in particular. We are in a permanent dialogue with the Medef, the CGPME, the CCI, etc.
So there will be exemptions for a certain number of companies, entrepreneurs?
As soon as a clean vehicle is not found in a catalogue, we are not going to invent it! You simply have to be pragmatic on these subjects. The aim is for us to achieve the air quality objectives together because I would not like tomorrow to see us condemned by the European Community to pay tens of millions of euros in fines, is not the purpose of taxpayers’ money. So, we must move forward on this subject and we will find the solutions in a permanent dialogue with the economic players. And I salute their will. They also want to act in this direction. So we find the right compromises.
Despite a drop in traffic, Grenoble remains the fourth most congested city in France. After eight years in office, isn’t this a semi-failure for you?
Listen, I was told at the start of my previous mandate that we would never manage to solve the Rondeau problem, nor that of the A480. We are doing the work. Work on the A480 is ending this year, the Rondeau will be next year. The simulations show us that this will make traffic much more fluid, without bringing in more transit traffic.
Let’s talk about the presidential, Christophe Ferrari. In the past, you had supported Arnaud Montebourg. He officially gave up yesterday. The left is split, there are several candidates. Who are you going to support?
In fact, this shows us that the themes of Montebourg are extremely popular, he was very avant-garde on subjects of economic sovereignty, the need for reindustrialisation. But that’s not enough to be strong in the polls for the presidential election. The left is atomized, all the candidates are between 2 and 10%. This means that no one has sufficient legitimacy. I really invite all of these leaders to think about a single candidacy. I don’t want us to see the trains go by and have to choose, once again, between the right, the far right or the liberals with Emmanuel Macron, whom I remind you that today he is announcing to us in particular for the university – a subject that affects me – a massive increase in registration fees and finally, a kind of abandonment of free access to university.
So the left has a historic responsibility to come together and I will obviously go for the popular primary and the choice that will result from it. I will vote for this primary and I obviously invite all those on the left who do not want to be spectators of the presidential election, to register and vote.
Christiane Taubira is at the top of the voting intentions for this popular primary. Does that sound like a good candidate to you?
Me, I find that Christiane Taubira is an exceptional woman in her political career, I have a lot of esteem for her. And it is true that today, it represents a solution. Thanks to her for putting a kick in all this. I find that a woman who kicks into this fairly masculine universe – like Anne Hidalgo by the way – is a good thing. And I think that Jean-Luc Mélenchon, like Yannick Jadot or Fabien Roussel cannot remain deaf and not hear that, unless they are there only to defend their own shop, which I find contrary to the ideals of the left.
A topical question again Christophe Ferrari: a teachers’ strike is still planned today, the second in a week. After the Ibiza episode, should the Minister of National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, resign?
Personally, I find that beyond the subject of Ibiza, etc., what was most scandalous was simply learning the protocols the day before the start of the school year in a paid evening newspaper. Personally, I find that this sequence is not acceptable and there must undoubtedly be signs that are shown. I think that indeed, to find a necessary appeasement, Mr. Blanquer cannot stay. It would be a strong sign.
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