essential
Bernard Gondran former mayor of the city during two mandates from 1955 to 2008 and current city councilor explains why he voted “against” the 2025 budget.
During the last municipal council, the agenda concerned the 2025 budget, presented by Léo Garcia, vice-president of the municipal finance commission. This budget, in which, according to Léo Garcia, the debt is controlled and the local tax rates, were adopted by a very large majority of elected officials present or represented. One vote “against” and two abstentions were recorded.
Many reasons justify the negative vote of the former mayor. “For the first time, actual operating expenses, which amount to 7,807,222 euros (page 55 of the primitive budget), exceed the total of actual expenses in the amount of 7,702,404 euros (page 58 of the primitive budget), a deficit of 104,818 euros. I remind you that when taking up the current mayor in 2020, there was a real operating surplus. Saint-Girons, which operates as the government, spends more than it wins.
“Forgotten” debts
Other reasons still justify Bernard Gondran’s negative vote. “The tax increase will be 1.7 % this year, adding to successive increases of 17 % over 4 years. Fortunately, state endowments allow balance.”
To conclude, there are two important debts, “hidden, which report a lack of sincerity. Indeed, the Saint-Girons town hall owes not only 580,000 euros to the public land establishment in Occitanie (EPF) for purchases of buildings on rue Saint-Vallier, but it also owes 600,000 euros to the Department of Ariège for the purchase of the Château des Viscount. is however hidden or at least forgotten in the budget.
