They have been ringing the alarm bells for months. But, a few weeks before winter, many communities believe the state’s response is insufficient. “The rise in prices, linked to inflation, was felt from the end of 2021 and we alerted the State at that time, remembers Murielle Fabre, the secretary general of the Association of mayors of France. (AMF). But today, the support offered does not meet the needs. »
“We are waiting to know, for example, if the Global Operating Grant (DGF), the aid granted by the State to communities each year, will be calculated by following inflation, as was the case for a long time”, worries a local elected official. In Bercy, in the entourage of Budget Minister Gabriel Attal, they retort that “the question of indexing the DGF to inflation does not seem to be the most relevant vector for sustainably helping communities”. We therefore close the ban, stating that other measures are already helping communities.
Municipalities with “good management” will be given preference
“The green fund of 1.5 billion euros will massively support communities in their energy transition, we list for example. And, from 2022, we support the most fragile local authorities in coping with inflation, thanks to the security component voted in the Amending Finance Bill for 568 million euros (including 420 million for local authorities). It will make it possible to cover 70% of the additional costs linked to inflation in the prices of energy, food and the index point. »
But how will the funds be distributed? “The modalities are being fixed”, we answer, introductory, to the office of the Minister of the Budget. Officially, if all the criteria are not defined, municipalities with “good management” will be preferred. “We cannot treat all communities in the same way: you have communities that are doing well, others that are in great difficulty, also indicated this Wednesday Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of Economy. You also have communities that are well managed, and others that are less well managed. »
Annoying remarks, at the AMF, where people are worried about how the good or bad management of a municipality will be determined. “Not to mention that the aid should be paid in the fall of 2023, deplores Murielle Fabre. But cities need that money now. »