The plenary session of the Salamanca City Council has given the green light this Friday to the municipal budget for the year 2023, which reaches 181.417.678 euros for the next year, thanks to an increase of 8,8 percent. The votes of the government team, made up of the Popular Party and Citizens, together with the abstention of the non-attached councilor, Ricardo Ortiz, have been enough to carry out a proposal that was rejected by the Socialist Party and the Mixed Group, with representation from Podemos and United Left.
The City Council highlighted, during the presentation of the accounts, that they managed to carry out this increase in a context of freezing, for the eighth consecutive year, of taxes, rates and public prices. And that it was carried out despite the economic loss due to the legal regulation of surplus value to adapt it to the judgments of the Constitutional Court.
All in all, I said that the reasons for the increase in these budgets have fallen on the good evolution of income, both tax and non-tax, the increase in transfers from the Autonomous Community, just over 1.265.000 euros, also the participation in state income, 2.350.000 euros, which, however, considered that there is no compensation for lost profits due to capital gains, which in the case of this Consistory amounts to 2,7 million.
The City Council has highlighted the importance of direct subsidies from the Board linked to the protocol for the development of initiatives for economic progress, the future of Salamanca, which include the development of industrial land and the Intermodal Platform of Puerto Seco, with just over 14.600. 000 euro.
On behalf of the European Funds, the mayor has underlined almost 10,5 million euros. And, to finance investments, the Consistory has a credit resource forecast of around 12.800.000 euros. In relation to the actions co-financed with subsequent European funds from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, it includes the implementation of the Low Emission Zone and complementary actions with 6,4 million; the improvement of accessibility in public spaces and buildings with 450.000 euros, sustainable projects for the maintenance and rehabilitation of Historical Heritage for tourist use for three million, and the rehabilitation of public buildings with 4,6 million.
More services
The budget also increased the resources allocated to the provision of municipal public services, with 4,5 million euros to increase the financial allocation for street cleaning services, waste collection, interurban transport, conservation of green areas and home help.
Municipal investments are also growing, reaching almost 35,5 million, and reaching a figure of more than 63 million when incorporating the remnants of subsidies from 2022 to finance investments in 2023. Among them, Carbayo has distinguished the development of the Projects derived from the inter-institutional protocol signed between the Board, the Provincial Council, Usal and the council itself, to advance the industrialization of the city. Specifically, for the construction of the Intermodal Railway Platform, 5,5 million were allocated, while 3,4 million were allocated for the development of industrial land to finish the works of Peña Alta, and to begin the works of land classified as General System of Puerto Sec. Also included in this field are the more than 4,2 million allocated to the Abioinnova biosanitary incubator, to which is added the equipment of 800.000 euros derived from the Junta, and the Tormes+ technological innovation space.
Specifically, the actions carried out in the implementation of the Tormes+ Integrated and Sustainable Development Strategy account for more than 7,5 million euros, which include, among others, the adaptation of the old-fashioned Footbridge, the green corridors, the Integrated Environmental Center in Huerta Otea or the environmental itineraries.
To all this, he added the promotion of protected housing for rent or rent with the option to buy with eight million euros, rehabilitation and urban regeneration actions with more than two million, the new library of Pizarrales and San Bernardo with 1,5 million; the new center for the elderly in Tejares with 3,2 million, or actions in terms of roads with 3,2 million.
For her part, the mayor's tenant, Ana Suárez, explained the social part of the budget, which corresponds to 56 percent of a budget that ensures "that they plant to benefit the families of Salamanca and especially those who have special difficulties." .
