This Tuesday's plenary session greenlit accounts that represent an 8.85% increase compared to the previous year. The CUP councillor justified her favorable vote by the inclusion of proposals aimed at 'influencing housing policies, social cohesion, and strengthening municipal services,' despite pointing out some limitations.
Conversely, Junts per Tortosa, the main opposition group, voted against, criticizing that the budgets were prepared 'too late and poorly' and fail to address issues such as insecurity or the need for investment in public spaces.
“"We have been able to reach an agreement that allows us to advance in the city's model."
The mayor of Tortosa, Mar Lleixà, defended the budgets as 'expansive' and highlighted that they grow thanks to transfers and subsidies from other administrations, while tax ordinances remain frozen to avoid increasing pressure on citizens. She emphasized the 'strong investment in housing, public space, and with special focus on the historic city'.
The consolidated accounts, which include autonomous bodies and municipal companies, total over 100 million euros. The mayor noted that these are the first budgets she has approved since taking office and that they foresee a 72.44% increase in investments, with a total of 7,983,000 euros, of which 1,904,000 euros will be allocated to the start of the Generalitat's Neighborhood and Village Plan.
“"The focus is on propaganda instead of improving basic services."
The spokesperson for Junts per Tortosa, Meritxell Roigé, questioned the planning and criticized the increase in spending on institutional advertising and trusted positions, as well as the budget for festivities, which exceeds 650,000 euros. She also warned about the accumulated deficit of nearly one million euros in various municipal companies, such as Tortosa Salut, GESAT – Hospital de la Santa Creu de Jesús, Aigües de Tortosa, and Tortosa Esport, the latter being in a situation 'described as critical and close to dissolution'.
From the government, the Finance Councillor, Maria Jesús Viña, defended the viability of the accounts, based on the intervention report that endorses them as 'balanced, adequate, and with a realistic collection capacity'. Mayor Lleixà added that efforts are underway to reverse the losses of healthcare companies, negotiating with the Department of Health.
“"These budgets, which we support, are not ours."
The CUP councillor, Selene Alberich, reiterated that, despite the support, the budgets 'remain insufficient to address the city's structural problems' and called for 'avoiding triumphalist discourses'. She highlighted, however, the prioritization of housing with a 260,000 euro aid line for affordable rental, a result of the CUP's negotiation to shift the governance model 'to the left'.
