Through the voice of Gabriel Attal, the government has opened the door to the Île-de-France region to help it avoid a sudden rise in transport prices.
SourceAFP
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ifit refuses to be the “cash drawer” of Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), the State is nevertheless ready to “work” with the transport organizing authority to help it balance its 2023 budget and avoid a sudden rise in the price of subscriptions, said Gabriel Attal on Monday. “There is a need for financing for IDFM”, recognized the Minister of Public Accounts on BFMTV / RMC, while the president of the institution Valérie Pécresse must find 450 million euros by the board of directors of Wednesday to balance the 2023 budget.
“It is a file followed at a very high level, by the Prime Minister, the ministers concerned. We will continue to work with her (Valérie Pécresse, Ed) to find solutions, to help her, ”assured Gabriel Attal. “But it must help us to help it, by looking at other possibilities” than the increase in the Navigo monthly plan to complete the 2023 budget, constrained by inflation and soaring energy prices.
Currently sold at 75.20 euros per month, the price of the Navigo pass could increase to 90 euros, and that of the unit metro ticket from 1.90 to 2.30 euros if IDFM did not find new sources of financing. A possible increase of 20% that Valérie Pécresse has already deemed “unacceptable”.
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“The people of Ile-de-France are not a cash drawer on which we can pump by increasing the Navigo pass indefinitely, and the State is not a cash drawer either,” insisted Gabriel Attal on Monday. The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire followed suit on France Inter, claiming to be “accountant of the money of all French people”.
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“It’s complicated for me to go and explain to someone who lives in Nantes, Nevers or Romorantin that I’m going to take public money which also belongs to him to help the richest region of France”, a attacked the government’s number two. In a deliberation that she must submit to the board of directors of IDFM, Valérie Pécresse recently threatened to suspend a series of payments linked to major projects (Olympic Games, Grand Paris Express) if the State does not make a move. to avoid too high a rise in public transport fares.
Valérie Pécresse, who does not want to lower the transport offer – which must just go up to 100% – or give up her investments, has asked the State to be able to increase the mobility payment – a tax on the payroll of companies more than 11 employees – in the densest areas, a reduction in VAT from 10 to 5.5% and a transformation into a subsidy of repayable advances granted by the State during the pandemic. The elected official (LR) also mentioned a tourist tax on hotels of more than 4 stars.