Socialist opposition claims new municipal budget “raises taxes” and “cuts investment”
The statement claims that mayor Rosa Cardona will spend 250% more on institutional advertising “to disguise her inaction”
Within minutes of the press office releasing details of the municipal budget for 2025, the socialist opposition PSOE has issued a statement in which it claims that the funding allocation “raises taxes, increases fines, cuts investment and abandons citizens”.
The socialist representatives voted against the approval of the budget due to its concerns over what it perceives as some of the “shortcomings” in the management of local government by mayor Rosa Cardona, claiming that accounts have been presented that “do not contemplate any new investment for Xàbia and that represent a serious disadvantage for citizens in the form of more construction, more fines and more taxes“.
The statement claims that “while the IBI will fall by about 200,000 euros, the garbage tax will rise by 1,200,000 euros, that is, a million euros increase, whatever the official propaganda says“, adding that it in as increase that “preys on companies and businesses and that offers discounts that are almost impossible for residents to comply with“.
In addition, the socialists have denounced the concept of “turbourbanism” having reached the public accounts and that it is expected that almost 2,000,000 euros more will be collected from urban planning licenses and construction tax during 2025.
In addition, the statement claimed that, from next year, residents will have to be aware because it is budgeted that the fines issued by the Policía Local de Xàbia will increase by 106%.
The socialists claim that these increases should be contrasted with the paralysis of public works. The 2025 accounts, they say, do not include new projects for Xàbia and only those prepared by the previous PSOE government will continue – with enormous delays. These projects include the Municipal Swimming Pool (“which has yet to have an opening date due to management deficiencies“), the improvement project of the Riurau d’Arnauda, and the renovation of Parque Thiviers. And that’s not counting those promoted by the Spanish Government, such as the Coastal Path. But, the socialists claim, there has been nothing new from from the government team headed by Rosa Cardona, before the statement continues that the claim that “the institutional advertising budget rises by 250% and where 26,000 euros were previously spent, now the people of Xàbia will pay 100,000 euros so that the government can cover up its inaction“.
Councillor Ximo Segarra called the 2025 budget “sad and ineffective“, claiming that despite a 7 million euro increase, including funding allocated by the Spanish Government, interest on the balance left by the socialist government led by José Chulvi, and the tax increases proposed by Rosa Cardona’s PP-led tripartite government, “essential items such as the promotion of employment, economic promotion or social services have been frozen“.
