The people of Nîmes already pay in their taxes for protective equipment.
Pascal Gourdel strolling with a portable microphone in the bays of the hemicycle of the Agglo, to say that he does not agree … A scene of the most astonishing during the community council of Nîmes metropolis on Monday evening. A schism in sight between the majority of Nîmes and President Proust, yet from his ranks?
A crack at the most that would have to be filled, assure those who do not want to spread the nascent discord like waters overflowing from the Fountain on a red alert day … Because it is indeed the new Gemapi tax (as management water, aquatic environments and flood protection) introduced by the Agglo which is the last straw that overflows the camel’s back. However, during the meeting of September 22, the community councilors of Nîmes had voted without batting an eyelid on the principle of the introduction of this new tax. “Certainly, but it was just the principle, the finances of the Agglo are not brilliant, everyone agrees on this, but the Budget orientation report is a working tool. The solution of the tax is not inevitable, have we really studied all the other options? “, asks the Nîmes finance assistant, carrying the position of mayor Jean-Paul Fournier.
55% of equipment financed by the City
It must be said that in Nîmes, in terms of protection against floods, we know a lot (which makes comparisons with other inter-municipal authorities, brandished by the executive, not quite relevant). For 20 years, the City has spent millions of euros to protect itself from flooding. On average, on most retention basin or cadereau sites, external funders are present at 45%. The rest is paid by the City, ie by the taxpayer. The Nîmes paying taxes therefore did not wait for the invention of this new tax to contribute to investments aimed at protecting it from floods. To impose the Gemapi on him is in a way to make him pay a second time … This is the point that tickles the majority of the mayor. Since the transfer of this competence from the City to the Agglo, nothing has changed in the municipal wallet, which pays € 7.5 million annually to Nîmes metropolis.
Nîmes elected officials are also very sensitive to their poor tax image, and the positive effect of the reduction in property tax sought by Jean-Paul Fournier in 2019 should not be erased by a new tax … “Tax fed up, we know what that can lead to. We have just lived through such a complex year 2020”, says Pascal Gourdel who takes example from the crisis of “yellow vests” born of a tax refusal. Would more miss Jean-Paul Fournier puts on a yellow vest …
“Old couple”
Nîmes Métropole organized a site visit to the Antiquailles basin on Thursday (Free Midi yesterday). Chance of the calendar? Or a little bit of communication to show that all is well? “This visit was planned for a long time”, we assure the mayor’s office, even if the invitations were sent the day before in the afternoon. Questioned by the press, Franck Proust and Jean-Paul Fournier did not hide their disagreement, but tried to minimize it by comparing themselves to an old couple who quarrel but still love each other.
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