The mayor of Tortosa, Mar Lleixà, presented the fiscal ordinances and the municipal budget for 2026 during a public hearing at the Ferreries Civic Centre. These accounts, described by Lleixà as "historic, expansive, and ambitious," set the City Council's budget at over 52.3 million euros, an 8.85% increase from the previous year. For the first time, the consolidated general budget of the municipal group surpasses 100 million euros.
"This is a budget that will be the engine of the transformation Tortosa needs, with more investments, more resources for people, and without increasing the tax burden," stated the mayor. Regarding fiscal ordinances, municipal taxes remain frozen, with a 1% reduction in urban and rural IBI (property tax). New bonuses are incorporated, such as a 75% reduction in IBI for homes joining the municipal rental mediation pool, and a 10% bonus on the waste collection fee for those adhering to the door-to-door collection in Campredó.
The 2026 budget allocates over 7.9 million euros to investments, a 72.44% increase from the previous year. Key projects include the commencement of the Generalitat's Plan de Barris i Viles (Neighborhoods and Towns Plan), which will mobilize 25 million euros in the Historic City over the next five years, with a 15 million euro contribution from the regional government. In housing matters, nearly one million euros are earmarked for actions to expand residential supply and facilitate access, including the rehabilitation of the Portal de l'Olivera building and aid for vulnerable individuals.
Other significant investments include the construction of the new athletics track in Jesús (1.7 million euros), the transformation of Josepets into an artistic creation center (over one million), improvements to the facade of the Municipal Market, the renovation of Lleida Avenue to open the city to the river and connect it with the Via Verda, and public space maintenance within the Cuidem Tortosa Plan.
The budget is structured around six main axes: people as the focus of municipal policies; economic development and job creation; improvement of public spaces; a greener, healthier, and safer city; promotion of culture and heritage; and strengthening territorial cohesion across neighborhoods and towns. The mayor highlighted that the accounts allow for continued reduction of municipal debt, freeing up resources to enhance public services.
Lleixà thanked the municipal staff and involved departments for their work, as well as the ability to secure external funding. "This budget is a tool to continue transforming Tortosa, improving the quality of life for residents, and ensuring a more cohesive, sustainable municipality prepared for the challenges of the coming years," she concluded.
