The budget of the Santa Cruz City Hall by 2023 it exceeds 313 million euros, of which 65 will be dedicated to investment chapters. As confirmed by the mayor of the Treasury, Juan José Martínez, almost half of this money will be obtained thanks to debt, since a loan of 30 million will be requested with the aim of “boosting investments in a year in which all the The authorities speak of an economic slowdown, a situation in which the public administrations have to act as the locomotive of the economy”.
Martínez assures that with this debt operation Santa Cruz it is still very far from the limits established by law of not exceeding 75% of the income budget. “With this credit we will reach 33% of that limit,” he explained.
The mayor pointed out that the main novelty of the Treasury area is that there is no novelty, as the already announced tax rebates are maintained and the opening license is added. “With the current fiscal situation, a company that decides to open in Santa Cruz will have a subsidized opening license, as well as the rate for placing tables and chairs, the rate for business garbage, or the lowest filming and ICIO in Spain, enough reasons to attract investment to the city”, pointed out Martínez.
Regarding the Housing area, which is also directed by the mayor of the Treasury, he valued the “spectacular” increase that it suffers with an 84% increase in its budget. “It is the star area”, he assures. “We went from eight million in 2022 to almost 15 for next year, thanks, among other things, to the contributions of other administrations such as the 11.8 million we received from Next Generation funds for the rehabilitation of 381 homes in Añaza”.
And it is that, throughout 2023, Martínez assures that the drafting of the new housing projects for Cuevas Blancas (252), and María Jiménez (37) will be completed, and the work will be put out to tender, while the contract will be awarded. Drafting of the project for the La Monja site (90). The start of the construction of the first two promotions would already go to 2024.
“To this we have to add the 1,406 homes that we have in one of the phases of the rehabilitation programs,” added Martínez. The mayor refers to the 589 that are currently being executed, plus the 278 whose award of work and start of the same will take place in 2023, and the remaining 158 that are pending the drafting of the project. “The 381 of Añaza complete this amount of 1,406 homes,” the mayor qualifies.
Martínez gives a call to attention to the Government of the Canary Islands about the agreement to finance new homes. “At this point we have not yet signed the agreement of the Canary Islands Housing Plan through which we received the funds and carried out the work. We have advanced everything related to Cuevas Blancas and María Jiménez, also to La Monja, and we trust that this agreement can be signed soon, ”he said. In addition, he advanced, there are another 1,200 homes that are likely to be incorporated into future rehabilitation programs, either with European or state financing.
Grant for the purchase of garages
Another of the important items within Housing is the grant of 890,000 euros that has been painted in the budget for the tenants of the municipal housing stock who meet the conditions to acquire the garages associated with their homes.
“There are 178 potential beneficiaries of the grant for the acquisition of garages. They have been paying a part, and when they reach a limit, we subsidize the rest. The average subsidy is 4,500 euros”, concluded the mayor.
