In 2024, the City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife will have the largest budget in its history, reaching 374 million euros, which represents an increase of 17.1% compared to 2023, and places it in the largest increase of all. the great administrations of the Canary Islands.
This was announced yesterday by the mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, who stated that the accounts for 2024 are conceived as an investment plan for the coming years, with 98 million allocated to works as a way of guaranteeing the actions that are already being carried out or that will begin. , which represents an increase of 50% compared to the previous year.
Bermúdez clarified that “the budget is inserted in a context marked by the recovery of economic activity after the crisis caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, while all economic projections for the next year estimate a slowdown in this growth.” . For this reason, the City Council defines its accounting project as “expansive, brave and coherent”, because the objective “is to invest what is essential in the Corporation and the maximum possible in the city,” he stressed.
The councilor, who was accompanied at a press conference by the first deputy mayor and councilor for Public Services, Carlos Tarife, and the councilor for Finance, José Alberto Díaz-Estébanez, stated that “Santa Cruz will remain one of the capitals of province with lower fiscal pressure and as a leading city in economic freedom”, with a single modification, that of the solid waste collection rate in the business modality that will increase this year.
The budget maintains an ambitious social policy aimed at the most vulnerable people, which totals more than 270 million euros, which translates into 80% of the accounts for 2024. The item allocated within the scope of the IMAS has a special impact, whose figures are around 30 million just for social care. This amount “has tripled in the last decade and represents an unprecedented economic allocation with respect to other administrations in the Canary Islands,” highlighted the mayor.
In addition, Bermúdez described as “excellence” that 80% of the investment is dedicated to people, for which he considered “the amount and degree of execution of the budget to be more than acceptable, placing Santa Cruz among the top three provincial capitals.” in social investment, after Barcelona and Granada.”
He also highlighted the significant increase in the Culture area, with 7.1 million euros, which represents an increase of 9.57% compared to 2023; that of Festivals which rises to 8.8 million, from 7 last year; Sports and Quality of Life, which will have almost 7 million, 1.3 more than in the previous period, or the Mobility and Universal Accessibility area, with more than 31 million, which implies an increase of 59% (11.8 million more). with respect to 2023, taking into account that they are divided into 18.6 million for current expenses and almost 13 million for investment.
In this sense, the investments planned for the Low Emissions Zone (ZBE), the parking master plan, the renewal of the municipal bus fleet with more sustainable ones and the creation of the Mobility Control Center stand out.
Regarding the area of Works and Infrastructure, more than 31 million are contemplated by 2024, which will allow “to have a more sustainable city in lighting, repaving, zero discharges or roads such as Francisco La Roche Avenue. In addition, efforts will be made to continue recovering the coastline for the capital and the extension of the bike lane to Cueva Bermeja will be carried out, works will be undertaken on the Las Teresitas dam or the future union of El Block with Los Charcos, in Valleseco. Likewise, there will be improvements in the Palmetum and the new Añaza maritime platform will be promoted,” the mayor explained.
Investments for the “quality of life of people” which, in turn, will be seen in improvements to football fields and sports halls or in works in emblematic buildings such as the Masonic Temple, Teatro Guimerá, Viera y Clavijo, Marqués de Villasegura or Palacio de Carta.
For his part, the Councilor for the Treasury, José Alberto Díaz-Estébanez, described the 2024 budget as “ambitious and exciting.” Regarding the increase in the income section, he explained that it is due to the inclusion of funds from other administrations, such as Next Generation (21.4 million), own property income, such as the sale of the Auditorium building to the Government of the Canary Islands (23, 6) and the improvement in own income (10.8 million).
Meanwhile, in the chapter on current income, he said that “compared to forecasts of 251.7 million in 2023, this year they rise to 276.1 million, which represents an increase of 9.7% (24.4 million in absolute terms). Furthermore, “capital income increased by 164.6% (35.1 million) and reached a total of 56.4 million,” he noted.
distribution
Also, the councilor of Public Services, Carlos Tarife, emphasized that “Santa Cruz will continue the path taken”, so in the distribution of the budget by spending areas the largest item (154.3 million) will be allocated to citizen security , housing and urban planning, waste collection and treatment; street cleaning and Environment.
Citizen security and mobility increased by 0.7 million (8.4%) as a result of the incorporation of local police officers and contracts for the maintenance of signage and traffic lights, as well as for rescue and lifeguard services on beaches. In housing and urban planning, it rose by 1.3 million (54.5%) due to the new street furniture contract; and in public transport there is an increase of 1.2 million (9.6%)
“The accounts for Community Wellbeing will exceed those of the previous year by more than 4 million (13.2%). In Public Services they reach 66 million, two more than in 2023; in Environmental Sustainability is around 2 million, and Strategic Planning will manage 4.7 million, which will result in the improvement of public spaces, parks and gardens and lighting,” he specified. Commerce, Tourism and Small and Medium Enterprises will have an increase of 0.8 million euros (+311.2%) derived from actions planned within the programs financed from the Next Generation funds.
The set of current expenses (chapters I, II, III, IV and V) amounts to 260.3 million, increasing by 23 million (9.7%) compared to 2023, while personnel expenses experience an increase of 8.8 % (4 million), rising to 87, due to the 3.5% salary increase.
