The first budget drawn up by the government of socialist Jaume Collboni, the one for 2024, which will have to agree with other formations to go ahead because it is in the minority with 10 councilors out of the 41 in the Consistory, proposes an increase of 3.9% compared to that of this exercise. This means another 140 million euros, up to 3,735 million. It is the highest figure so far. But even though it is a record, it points towards containment. The collection pressure on citizens remains stable, despite the fact that it is considered to take a further step in the taxation of tourism.
The proposal is “solid, solvent, responsible and ambitious”, in the words of the fourth deputy mayor Jordi Valls, responsible for the economic area of ??the City Council, who yesterday presented the accounts and the tax ordinances proposed by the team from Collboni. In his opinion, they face the post-covid stage by consolidating items, making others grow -moderately-, increasing savings and investment and without increasing fiscal pressure in general terms.
“After a huge increase in the public sector in recent years, now it’s time to move towards consolidation”, stated Valls to defend the need to adjust the accounts because “Barcelona has already overcome the pre-pandemic situation” and shows encouraging economic data, he said, such as GDP growth, employment, the business climate or investment attraction.
Prudence criteria have been applied to guarantee the City Council’s solvency, the deputy mayor recalled. For this reason, it has been planned to allocate 17% of current income to investments, debt remains stable at around 32% of current income and gross savings is above 15% of current income, by 17%.
The accounts dedicate 440.2 million to social services and social promotion, 12% more than in 2023; 419 million (9%) for the tidiness and care of public space; and 396 million (5.9%) to safety and prevention. There is also an increase in items for the neighborhoods through the direct contribution to the districts (372.5 million, 4.5% more).
Investments add up to 777.6 million – the highest figure in the last 15 years – but if the Municipal Housing Institute and BSM are added, they amount to 904.9 million. The expansion of the public housing stock concentrates 152.7 million. It should be borne in mind that by 2024 it is planned to raise 50 million Next Generation funds, 70 million less than in the current financial year.
With regard to outstanding projects, the neighborhood plan receives 30 million; air conditioning in schools, 13.6 million – of the 100 million expected in six years -; the reform of the Rambla, eight million (48 million over the entire term), and the coverage of the Ronda de Dalt, five million (estimated at 33 million until 2027). Other investments underway are the new market in Horta (19.9 million), the collector on Carrer Vila i Vila (17.6 million), the improvement of educational centers (15.3 million), the remodeling of the Via Laietana (13.6 million) and the Ronda de Sant Antoni (11.6 million).
The budget predicts that current income will grow by 313.9 million thanks to the final liquidation of the share in the State’s income and the increase in the municipal surcharge and the tax on stays in tourist establishments (IEET).
Tourism taxation goes a step further in these accounts. The municipal surcharge increases in all modes and in the case of apartments and cruises that are less than twelve hours in the city, it goes from 2.75 euros to 4 euros per person per day (the maximum allowed). In both, more than hotels (of any category), which rise from 2.75 to 3.25 euros. This surcharge and the IEET represent a total income of 95 million and are the third most powerful tax type of the City Council, behind the IBI (750 million) and the capital gain (150 million), ahead of the IAE (85 million). “It’s not going against tourism – Valls wanted to make it clear – it’s the contribution that tourists make to the city by enjoying the services financed by citizens, such as cleaning, security or transport”. Valls was tougher on the apartments: “They don’t help with access to housing, they create difficulties”, he said.
The tax ordinances have another novelty: the disappearance of the 75% bonus of the terrace tax. “We have entered a position of normalcy after covid and the situation needs to be normalized”, said the councilor. It remains the same that was approved in 2018 and was never fully implemented due to the pandemic. But there will be corrections. A scale will be applied according to the number of tables the establishment has. Those with fewer tables (most) will pay less. With the new model, it is expected to raise 5.8 million euros, instead of the 2 million that would have been collected with the 75% bonus and the 8.2 million that would result if the entire rate were applied. Valls said that he did not have an agreement with the Restoration Guild, which yesterday regretted that Collboni did not fulfill its promise to extend the bonus.
These approaches have already been transmitted to the groups, with the exception of Vox, with the intention of serving as a starting point for negotiations that Valls is confident will come to fruition. The intention is to bring the proposals for the budget and tax ordinances to the Committee on Economy and Finance on October 18 for the initial approval of the first and provisional approval of the second, which would give rise to the processing. “I do not foresee an extension – assured the councilor -; we want to maintain a dialogue and I don’t know if it will be long or short, but enough to be able to discuss what the city needs and reach agreements”. Keeping the accounts for 2023 would mean, according to the calculations of the Collboni team, a loss of 715 million euros.
The previous governing partner of the PSC, BComú, already advanced some details the day before yesterday about the budget he would like to approve, which is higher: 3,947 million euros. Jordi Valls did not want to assess it, but warned that the training of former mayor Ada Colau foresees more income via an increase in the IBI.
