A little touch of attention. That is what the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF) has given to the Murcia City Council, in its latest report. The initial forecasts for the Consistory worsen in this, since it foresees that, according to the data provided, it can end the year with a deficit, or what is the same, with a negative difference in income and expenses. This situation has been repeated at least since 2020, although 2019 also closed with a small negative cash surplus of three million, which became 32 at the end of 2022.
From AIReF they point to two fundamental causes. The first is common to all the large municipalities in the country and is an increase in their primary spending by 2023, or what is the same, current and personal spending, mainly. The second cause is reserved particularly for the case of Murcia and six other consistories, which will see a decrease in their tax revenues during this course -despite the generalized economic recovery-, basing the case of the capital of the Region on budget forecasts. extended.
The mayor of Mobility, Economic Management and Contracting, José Francisco Muñoz, links the rise in these expenses to issues such as the “enormous increase of 37 million in personnel expenses in the last two years or to the invoices or obligations that we have found without starting allocated in last year’s accounts”. Regarding the fall in tax revenues, he relates it to the Constitutional Court ruling that made it necessary to modify the capital gains tax.
The Tax Authority points to a decrease in tax revenue, which the government limits to the change in capital gains
Thus, the calculations are that, with the current forecasts, and in the absence of new budgets, the year could close with a gap of 40 million, acknowledges Muñoz. This is influenced by the payment of the judgment in the Mamusa case, due to the urban development agreements in the northern zone, signed years ago by the PP governments, and which the PSOE paid at once with cash without going to the Financing Fund for Local Entities .
“We did not do it because the term for it was not open and the interest was 50,000 euros per month,” says the socialist spokesman and predecessor of Muñoz, Enrique Lorca. He also defends that the increase in personnel spending comes from the expansion of the Local Police staff or from respect for the commitment of the professional career. “We did find things in the drawers,” he settles.
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