The Tortosa City Council plenary session approved on Tuesday, in an extraordinary meeting, the budget for the 2026 fiscal year. This budget amounts to 52,306,000 euros, marking an 8.85% increase compared to the 2025 accounts. For the first time, the consolidated budget for the municipal group, which includes the City Council and various entities such as EPEL Hospital, Tortosa Media, and Tortosasport, surpasses the 100 million euro threshold, reaching 100,135,668.49 euros, a 2.54% increase from the previous year.
The allocation for investments will see a significant rise, exceeding 7.9 million euros, which represents a 72.44% increase compared to previous budgets. The 2026 budget was approved with 11 votes in favor from the Movem Tortosa-PSC, ERC, and CUP groups, while the 10 votes against came from the Junts per Tortosa group.
“"It is a historic, expansive, and ambitious budget, adapted to the needs of the municipality; but also balanced, increasing investments without raising the tax burden on citizens."
Mayor Mar Lleixà emphasized that these accounts place a special focus on housing and the improvement of public spaces, in addition to highlighting the reduction of municipal debt. She noted that the increase in investments, with a total volume of actions amounting to 7,983,000 euros, includes 1,904,000 euros for the initiation of the Generalitat's Neighborhood and Village Plan. She also highlighted a 173.9% increase in capital transfers, which will fund projects such as the Josepets artistic creation center and the new athletics track.
Conversely, Meritxell Roigé, head of the opposition and spokesperson for Junts per Tortosa, strongly criticized the budget, deeming it 'done too late and poorly' and not aligned with the current economic reality. Roigé questioned the lack of prudence and responsibility, insufficient real investment, and poor planning of subsidies, which, she claimed, would generate 300,000 euros in interest due to non-execution. She also lamented the 12% increase in institutional advertising and trusted positions, at the expense of investment in security and public infrastructure.
Furthermore, Roigé warned about the losses incurred by several municipal companies, such as Tortosa Salut (387,390 euros), GESAT – Hospital de la Santa Creu de Jesús (353,645 euros), and Tortosa Esport (117,000 euros), accumulating a deficit close to one million euros. She cautioned that Tortosa Esport is in a 'critical situation and close to dissolution'. Mayor Lleixà defended the management, assuring that efforts are underway to reverse the losses of the healthcare companies through negotiations with the health department.
From the CUP, councilor Selene Alberich stated that, although the budget 'is not theirs', they voted in favor because they were able to influence priority areas such as housing, social cohesion, and the strengthening of municipal services. Alberich highlighted the 260,000 euro aid package for the rehabilitation of affordable rental housing but reiterated that the budget 'remains insufficient to address the city's structural problems' and urged against 'triumphalist discourses'.
