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Calp Town Council Meeting. T.A.
Calp Town Council Approves 2025 Municipal Budget of 54.9 Million Euros

Calp Town Council Approves 2025 Municipal Budget of 54.9 Million Euros

The budget is passed with the support of the governing coalition, consisting of Somos Calpe, PSOE, and Compromís, against the opposition of Defendamos Calpe and the PP.

T.A.

Miércoles, 8 de enero 2025, 17:15

Calp Town Council has initially approved the 2025 municipal budget, amounting to 54,911,909 euros, representing a 16.93% increase compared to the previous year.

The budget was passed this Wednesday during the January plenary session, with the support of the governing coalition—comprising Somos Calpe, PSOE, and Compromís—and the opposition votes from Defendamos Calpe and the PP, as stated by the council in a communiqué.

Calp's Mayor, Ana Sala, emphasized that the budget aims to "improve the quality of life and well-being of residents and undertake necessary investments to enhance the municipality." She also noted that these accounts are "conditioned" by the increase in the waste tax, "as in every other municipality in Spain," in compliance with a state law transposing a European Union directive.

The mayor highlights investments such as the execution of the Museu Fester

In her address, the mayor outlined the planned investments for this year, including the commencement of the Museu Fester in Casa Beltrán (in Plaza España), which will house all festive associations and feature advanced technology. This project is part of the Sustainable Tourism in Destination Plan, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (PRTR), funded by the European Union - Next Generation.

Additionally, the budget anticipates the adaptation of the Civil Protection premises (117,491 euros), the extension of the passage work in Barranc del Pou Roig (222,678.38 euros), an accessibility and sidewalk maintenance project (250,000 euros), the removal of reeds through the installation of opaque coverings and restoration of riparian vegetation in Barranc del Quisi (100,000 euros), installation of new solar streetlights (154,275 euros), sanitation and stormwater infrastructure (1,074,589.36 euros), and the installation of solar panels in the swimming pool (57,438.87 euros).

Similarly, the budget includes the creation of the Centre for Recovery and Social and Labour Integration for people with mental health issues (100,000 euros), which will be located in the former Victoria cinemas.

Furthermore, the 2025 budget also includes an increase of nearly 210,000 euros in the lifeguard and rescue service, which will rise to 835,739.26 euros, and 175,516.51 euros in beach cleaning, which will have a total budget of 633,085.30 euros.

Fiscal Relief Measures

The council emphasized that "all this without increasing taxes, except for the waste tax," and added that "fiscal relief measures will continue to be applied." Among them, it mentioned the suspension of the business opening fee, a 5.04% reduction in urban property tax (IBI), a 95% inheritance tax relief, IBI relief for solar panel installation, suspension of public space occupancy fees for hospitality from November to April, and exemption from event fees.

Moreover, it highlighted that "nine lines of aid are maintained": for habitual residence (40,000 euros), young rental bonus (50,000 euros), sports aid (80,000 euros, "although an increase to 250,000 euros is planned"), cultural promotion (140,000 euros), rehabilitation of old town facades (70,000 euros), Bonobaby (20,000 euros), mechanical traction vehicle tax relief for hybrid and electric vehicles, in addition to IBI relief for energy efficiency.

On the other hand, in the Personnel chapter, 12 new positions are created, "although 9 previous ones are amortized." The new positions include Local Police Inspector, school maintenance worker, beach maintenance worker, youth technician, occupational therapist, an architect, two environmental monitors, an administrative assistant assigned to municipal brigades, a works inspector, an intervention technician, and a deputy treasurer. The mayor announces the intention to approve a human resources management plan for the council.

Opposition Criticism

The spokesperson for Defendamos Calpe, Paco Quiles, criticized that "the budgets remain the same as in previous years, with no significant changes." "This is because you do not dedicate 100% to this council," he accused. He labeled the waste tax as "completely unfair," criticized the increase in personnel expenses, and urged the creation of a human resources management plan.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the PP municipal group, Miguel Crespo, described the budgets as the "waste tax budgets," which without this increase "would have been unfeasible," and as "simple and calm." "The planned investments are repairs and patches, such as the repair and adaptation of sports facilities or sidewalks. This does not improve our residents' lives, we do not grow as a city," he argued. He also indicated that "both the fiscal incentives they contemplate and the planned investments were initiated in the previous legislature under the PP government."

"Good for the Economy"

The socialist spokesperson, Marco Bittner, responded to Crespo that "there is no greater aspiration for a politician, for a municipality, than to have calm budgets, a calmness that will be transferred to the town." "Or do you want these budgets to create chaos and confusion? No, calm budgets, a calm government, that is good for the economy and for the citizen," he defended.

Furthermore, the Compromís spokesperson, Ximo Perles, mentioned different projects contemplated in the budgets that "were not initiated in the legislature governed by the PP," among which he cited IBI relief for photovoltaic panel installation, aid for cultural training, as well as for access to housing, among others.

For his part, the spokesperson for Somos Calpe, Juan Manuel del Pino, reproached the two opposition spokespersons for using "the same phrases as last year." "When we are investing money in social aid, when it is about improving infrastructure, when it is about meeting the needs of this town, are we not improving people's lives?" he concluded.

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todoalicante Calp Town Council Approves 2025 Municipal Budget of 54.9 Million Euros