Grenoble increases its property tax to cope with inflation and make its museums free

by time news

The city of Grenoble announced this Friday an upcoming 25% increase in the municipal share of the property tax in order to finance investments, a “social and climate shield” and free access to its three museums.

The purpose of this increase is to raise around 44 million euros, half of which will be used to “deal with inflation, the cost of energy, or even the increase in the index point for agents”, according to a press release from the environmental municipality.

The other half will be paid into an existing investment plan dedicated to transitions (12 million euros), the strengthening of public services and the establishment of a social and climate shield (11 million euros), according to the same source.

This shield, which should be launched this year, “will concern the first three expenditure items of Grenoble residents, which are also the three main levers of greenhouse gas emissions: housing and energy, mobility and public spaces, as well as food,” the statement explained.

The City also intends to make free for all access to the Natural History Museum, the Stendhal Museum and the permanent collections of the Grenoble Museum. It also provides for reinforced social pricing in canteens and wants to move towards total free school supplies.

L’opposition s’agace

This increase, “its only tax lever”, must be examined Monday in the municipal council and will be added to a 7% increase in the bases decided nationally.

It was deemed “regrettable” by the municipal opposition group Nasa (Nouvel Air, socialists and relatives), which highlights in a press release the risk of “weakening many Grenoble residents with low resources, retirees with modest pensions, but also those of the middle class.

“It’s more 32% on the sheet of Grenoble residents when the city is in debt as it has never been in debt”, underlined the opposition municipal councilor Alain Carignon (LR), who called on the Grenoble residents to demonstrate on Monday against the measure.

The city of Grenoble had not increased its tax rate on built land since 2009, according to the city’s website. In 2021, this rate was 54.72%, the fourth highest in France behind Angers, Amiens and Poitiers, according to data from the UNPI observatory of property taxes.

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