Socialists evoke management ” reasonable “, the right shouts at the “Disaster”. In Paris, the mayor, Anne Hidalgo, is preparing to resort to quite massive debt again in 2022. From 6.6 billion euros at the end of 2020, the debt of Paris is expected to rise to 7.2 billion at the end of 2021 , then 7.7 billion euros “Maximum” end of 2022. This was indicated on Wednesday 10 November by Paul Simondon, the socialist financial assistant, presenting the first budgetary guidelines which will be debated at the Council of Paris on 16 November. If this amount is reached, the capital’s debt, which has remained very reasonable for a long time, will have almost doubled in eight years.
During the municipal campaign, Anne Hidalgo had nevertheless committed to managing Paris without drawing checks on the future. Already attacked on this issue, the outgoing mayor had ensured that the debt did not increase during the year preceding the election, and she had promised to “Stabilize” over the duration of his next term. In the immediate future, the health crisis got the better of these projections.
In 2020, then in 2021, the pandemic increased the city’s spending, cut its revenues, and led the re-elected mayor to borrow heavily to balance her budget. “In total, the Covid will have cost us around 1.2 billion euros in two years”, notes Paul Simondon. Gold “In the face of this major, unprecedented shock, we had no state aid, adds the great treasurer of Paris. Even the 17 million euros promised to reimburse the purchase of masks have not been paid! “
In 2022, the situation looks better. Admittedly, the town hall can still not count on the help of the State, especially in a period when Anne Hidalgo, campaigning for the Elysee Palace, chose Emmanuel Macron as a privileged target. But, except for a new violent epidemic wave, the economic recovery gives hope for a rebound in the City’s revenues. The return of tourists should result in an increase in the tourist tax: “After being halved in 2020, it will return to its pre-crisis level, perhaps as early as 2022”, Paul Simondon advances. Similarly, the revival of real estate should lead to an increase in taxation on sales of housing and offices, the famous “notary fees”.
There are also some additional resources. Car parking rates were increased in August. Motorized two-wheelers will also have to pay for their parking from 1er January 2022. As for the prices of displays and terraces, they “Will be the subject of a major reform for 2022-2023”, we already warn the Town Hall. In total, the municipal team expects operating revenues to increase by 4.7% in 2022.
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