The General Secretary of the PSOE in Tenerife, Tamara Raya, has described the current government of the Cabildo as “ineffective” and has announced the presentation of a total amendment to the proposal of the so-called forest penny. This decision, according to the party, is due to the Corporations’ inability to address the issues affecting public services after two years of governance by Rosa Dávila (CC-PP).
During a press conference, Raya questioned the balance provided by Dávila, who claimed to have fulfilled 70% of her programme. “70% of zero is still zero,” she remarked, emphasising that the public perceives a deterioration in key areas such as mobility, healthcare, dependency, and housing.
Underfunding, waiting lists and lack of housing
Traffic collapse, waiting lists and stagnant healthcare
The socialist leader criticised the Cabildo’s attempts to cover up its poor management through propaganda campaigns and the implementation of new taxes while the people of Tenerife continue to suffer from a lack of real improvements on the island. Raya pointed to traffic collapse, delays in care, stagnation in healthcare, and a lack of tangible advances in housing.
She explained that during these two years, not a single public housing unit has been built, the social healthcare agreement has been breached, and many centres remain closed due to lack of funding.
The forest penny seen as a punishment
The initiative to apply a forest penny, promoted by Coalición Canaria and the Popular Party, has been heavily criticised by the PSOE. Raya argues that this tax particularly harms those living in remote areas who already face economic difficulties, without addressing the structural problems of the island.
“The fairest option would be a tourist eco-tax, as proposed by the PSOE, which would tax visitors rather than residents,” she stated. The socialist proposal included an exemption for the locals, unlike the forest penny, which would fall directly on them.
Emergency due to ineffectiveness: a clear warning
Raya denounced that, in addition to the already declared emergencies (climatic, energy, migration, housing, technological, and water), it is urgent to include a new declaration: the emergency due to the ineffectiveness of the Cabildo of Tenerife, which has hindered the resolution of essential problems facing the population.
Delay in budget execution and cutting of investments
The socialist spokesperson in the Cabildo, Aarón Afonso, warned about the decline in budget execution, attributed to a cost-cutting plan approved by the institution to comply with spending rules. As of June 30, 2025, expenditures had been reduced to 35%, compared to 40% recorded a year earlier.
More than 548 million uninvested
Afonso detailed that since 2023, more than 548 million euros have been left unspent:
- 365 million euros pending in the Cabildo.
- 97 million euros unspent in the Social and Socio-Healthcare Assistance Institute (IASS).
- 85 million euros pending in the Insular Water Council.
Furthermore, they denounced that only 11% of the housing budget has been applied and 20% in the Insular Water Council, with barely 15% in investments, while spending on advertising exceeds 70% of the budget halfway through the year and reached 100% in 2024.
A blocked cabildo
Afonso sharply and vigorously criticised Rosa Dávila’s management model, accusing her of prioritising propaganda over real solutions. The PSOE of Tenerife announced that it will continue its oversight work and demand explanations for the lack of progress in key areas such as mobility, healthcare, and dependency.
