Budget 2025: local authorities will have to tighten their belts, and that makes people cringe

The draft Budget 2025 continues to displease. And it is now the turn of the communities to gnash their teeth. For good reason, they will once again have to tighten their belts with a 2% drain on their revenues. In Burgundy Franche-Comté, the intercommunality of France estimates that they will have to pay 27 million euros to the State. An important figure which will not be without consequences.

A puncture which will not be without consequences…

“Cutting expenses like that from one day to the next… It necessarily means either eliminating an investment, or reducing certain daily operating expenses that exist, such as the support provided to culture or sports associations,” believes at the microphone of Europe 1 Sébastien Martin, president of the intercommunality of France at the head of Grand Chalon in Saône-et-Loire.

And added: “Reducing our investment by 15%, is an impact which will not be without consequences, in my opinion, on public works, on buildings, on the economy in general… Is it that we will continue to open our libraries, our swimming pools, certain sports facilities at the same time intervals?” News which also undermines future projects, such as the crèche that the president of the intercommunality had planned to build next year. But now he will “re-examine [son] investment plan.

…and which gives rise to incomprehension

“What revolts us a little is that communities represent 8% of the public debt, not 80%… So we don’t really understand why all of a sudden we are being singled out as That.”

However, all French communities represent only 11% of GDP compared to 11.5% 20 years ago. The cuts demanded by the State cause total incomprehension for elected officials. “We are not the bad students in the class,” explains Sébastien Martin. “Every time we prepare the budget, we look everywhere for sources of savings to be able to find ways to invest. It creates jobs, we renew water pipes, we create transport services…”

So faced with this bad news for their finances, communities will express their dissatisfaction during the 34th French intercommunity convention, which will be held in Le Havre from next Wednesday.