The Plenary Session of La Laguna yesterday approved its budget for 2024, with the votes in favor of the Government group (PSOE and CC), the rejection of Vox, Unidas se puede and Drago Verdes Canarias and the abstention of the PP. Municipal accounts of 216,717,720 euros, which represent a decrease of 4.76% compared to those of 2023 (227,559,880 euros); while the consolidated budget, which includes that of the City Council itself, the autonomous organizations and Muvisa, exceeds 240 million, being also somewhat lower than that of 2023 (269 million). The budgets will come into force 15 days after their publication in the BOP, as long as no allegations are presented.
The Councilor for the Treasury, Francisca Rivero, emphasized that it is a “realistic, very prudent” budget based on national and international uncertainties, “balanced and continuous with the spending lines of recent years.” And she highlighted that, despite the decline, “it maintains the social nature and the impulse measures to stimulate the economy, betting on the improvement of services, housing and infrastructure.”
Meanwhile, from the opposition there was widespread criticism for the lack of time to study such a comprehensive document. The spokesperson for Drago Verdes Canarias, Alberto Rodríguez, outlined the ten amendments presented by his party to reverse declines in various areas, such as Heritage, “which is bleeding, being La Laguna a World Heritage Site,” he criticized, while also denouncing the increase in the Holidays item.
From Unidas se puede, Rubens Ascanio also attacked the cuts in some areas and the increase in the budget of the governing body, as well as in advertising and propaganda and Festivals. And he pointed out that the amount for housing in 2023 was 5.8 million and not just 1.2. Meanwhile, Idaira Afonso outlined some of the 23 amendments presented by the party for different improvements, such as, for example, the drafting of a new Special Plan for the Protection of the Historic Center.
For his part, Vox spokesperson, Manuel Alejandro Rodríguez, denounced a “lack of transparency,” the reduction in human resources and doubted that all the proposed projects would be executed. In this sense, he denounced the high remainder of the 2023 accounts and, therefore, the low level of budget execution.
Likewise, from the PP, Juan Antonio Molina criticized the reduction in different items, as well as that “they are the same promises for four years” and that the budget modifications “will turn this document into a mere declaration of intentions”, although he extended his hand to continue reaching agreements. He also stated that CC, a government partner, “only has 25% of the budget, this is not an agreement.”
From the Government group, the CC spokesperson and Councilor for Municipal Services and Participation, Fran Hernández, highlighted that “we are completely convinced that this budget is the best for the Laguneros and Laguneras”, prepared under criteria of “financial responsibility” and with “a marked social accent that favors the growth of La Laguna in a supportive way.”
For his part, the PSOE spokesperson and Sports Councilor, Badel Albelo, also insisted that “the budget respects the expected income limits, which indicates responsible management,” and defended that the increase in Festivals is “adjusted to the reality” of the 142 festivals that the municipality has. He also responded that “it is demagogic that the execution figures are confused, in 2023 it was 62.76% and 75% committed”, and that in human resources, “positions are filled based on the replacement rate” .
The amendments could not be voted on
The most intense debate would come at the time of voting on the amendments presented. From the opposition, Unidas had registered an amendment to the whole and 23 partial amendments, and Drago Verdes Canarias presented another ten that raised doubts about whether they were valid due to their time of registration, although they were finally accepted. However, neither party could vote for their inclusion or not in the accounts. And already at the beginning of the session, doubts were raised from the PP about whether these amendments could be approved in the format presented, by not attaching a financial file, which the Councilor for Finance consulted with the auditor before voting.
In this regard, the auditor responded that, based on the legislation, “in order to present amendments to the budget, it is necessary to determine the credit that is proposed to be increased and, most importantly, the resource that finances it must be indicated. , either with higher income or with decreases in other areas, so that the fundamental principle of budget balance is fulfilled.” Therefore, “if these amendments were included, without indicating a source of financing, budget spending would increase and, therefore, we would be in a legal prohibition, which would be approving the budget with an initial deficit,” he explained.
Based on this explanation, the mayor, Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, proposed “approving the budget project as is, with the political will of the Government group to study in detail each and every one of these proposals that cannot be as amendments, otherwise Otherwise, the approval of the budget would be irregular.”
Badel Albelo (PSOE) also highlighted that “there is a clear will to reach an understanding,” since days before they had been working with the United States on their proposals.
In this regard, Idaira Afonso (Unidas se puede) denounced that they had worked on the amendments as urged by the Finance Commission. “There was a tacit agreement that what was presented were proposals that were a political agreement that did not include economic items, which then the Government group and the technical part would be in charge of fitting together,” he indicated.
Based on this, he stated that “we had announced an abstention” in the budget vote, but since “what was agreed was not met,” they finally voted against.
