Curtailing expenses: the only possible way

Last week, the President of the Generalitat, Artur Mas, presented the new budget adjustment measures to reduce the deficit of the Government the Catalan Autonomous Government or Generalitat. Such a deficit was the result of the horrendous economic and financial management implemented by the previous governments of the Tripartite, and also by the fiscal deficit that affects our country. The announcement and implementation of the measures presented by the President is not a pleasant task for any politician. But, unfortunately, such measures are necessary. There is no alternative.

During the coming months, other similar measures will be enacted by other governments in Catalonia and all around the Spanish state that will share the same goal: reduce spending to avoid putting at risk our welfare state.

In Sitges, we were also forced to implement adjustments and contain expenses in our City Hall. We did it as soon as we had access to the municipal government and we found ourselves immersed in a very critical financial situation. And we must do it during the Municipal Budget for 2012, prepared in accordance with our electoral commitments that stressed austerity and cost containment.

The reduction of the 67 million € deficit that burdens our municipal finances is one of the main challenges of the government of the New Majority. In this sense, the work carried out by Jordi Mas is pure financial engineering, and it is based on a gradual reduction of deficit that will not affect the provision of essential services or our competitiveness.

To address this deficit, the municipal government is reducing spending in different chapters. We understand that this involves sacrifices. This is the message that we relayed to the municipal workers' representatives, we needed to explain to them the plan to save 1.9 million € in Chapter 1 of the municipal budget, in other words, the Chapter corresponding to the staff of the City Hall. For now, the reduction of salaries of elected officials and managers and the elimination of positions of trust has already allowed annual savings of 400,000€.

Last week, we announced the closure of Centre Obert El Rusc (Open Center El Rusc). The maintenance of a service with such a low usage was financially unsustainable due to our current deficit. During the last week, it was also discussed in sectorial meetings the necessary spending cuts in the Chapter of Festivities, just as the cuts in municipal subsidies. We must act together, with imagination and without losing hope, we must be responsible and skilled enough to design festivities that keep their essence and cultural projection, but with lower budgets than during previous years. I think this is possible, because I do believe in the responsibility and appreciation for our celebrations and traditions of the inhabitants of Sitges, many of which devote many hours of their time in such tasks.

President Mas declared past Saturday in Sitges, where he attended the workshops on the Health Plan 2011-15, that nothing will be the way it was before. And he's entirely right. Probably, the growth we've had during our immediate past was above our means. And now, we have no choice but to steer out of the current situation. If we did not do it, in addition to act in an irresponsible manner, we would not be able to guarantee our welfare state and a balanced society. This is our commitment.

The museums long desired by the people from Sitges

On 27 October, the City Hall of Sitges and the Provincial Council of Barcelona chartered the new Heritage Consortium of Sitges. Beyond all the administrative proceeding involved in the drawing of the Agreement, it is a development of remarkable political importance. Such a feat confirms the reorientation of the refurbishment works of the Cau Ferrat and Maricel museums, according to the criteria advocated by the municipal government of the New Majority, and shared by the governing bodies of the Provincial Council.

One of the points of the governmental agreement of the New Majority, signed on June 3, just after the municipal elections, was the protection of our architectural heritage, which traditionally has made our town a unique and admired place. The museum reform bill presented by the previous municipal and provincial governments was a clear violation of this principle, since it affected negatively the conservation of the buildings subject to refurbishment action. One of the first orders I gave, as soon as I was elected Mayor, was to stop the reform at those points that did not meet such a criteria, in line with the opinion of Plataforma Ciutadana SOS Sitges, a Citizen's Platform to whom I wish to thank their awareness campaign and continuing effort to preserve our heritage over the years.

In this sense, the new Heritage Consortium that emerged from the agreement between the City Hall and the Provincial Council, is now managing the refurbishment of the museums and redirecting three crucial points: removal of the glass façade and exterior ramp with sea views, ​​that broke with the original architectural complex; elimination of Cau Ferrat platforms implemented to conceal all the wiring that have damaged the perspective and dimensions of the interior, and the modification of the façade of Can Rocamora (Can Xicarrons) to adapt the original design.

Now, with the chartering of the new Consortium, the time of institutions has arrived. Now, the works for the reform of the museums - absolutely necessary due to the degree of deterioration of buildings – will ensure the execution of an ambitious project complying with all the terms and fully respectful with our architectural heritage. I think that I am not mistaken in saying that the reorientation of the project coincides with the general feeling of all the inhabitants of Sitges, most of which have never seen with good eyes the intentions of the previous project.

For such a reason, the two institutions that constitute the Consortium agreed to appoint Vinyet Panyella as Director-Manager of the new body. She will assume the position during the coming days. The profile of Vinyet is ideal for this position of responsibility, even more in this moment where it is necessary to manage the reconduction of renewal works with utmost care and skill: a solid experience in cultural management, a brilliant intellectual career and a profound love for Sitges and its heritage in all its vastness. The fact that Vinyet has accepted this task is a guarantee for the Consortium, and also all management areas that include: the Museums, Palau Maricel and the Stämpfli Foundation - Contemporary Art.

Savings in Human Resources: necessary measures

Last week, the municipal government announced a package of new savings measures conceived to help redress the critical economic situation of the Town, such situation is the final result of the suicidal policy carried out in recent years. This new package is designed to constrain the cost of human resources of the City Council, since we cannot cope with such economic burden under the current economic situation.

One of the first measures adopted by the government of the New Majority was to reduce by 12% the salaries of the councilors and Mayor, and drastically reduce the number of trust and managerial positions, currently entirely oversized. This decision meant initial savings of 400.000 Euros. Similarly, the organizational structure of the corporation was also radically redesigned and we reduced the seven previous areas to three, such an action brought about important savings.

However, to redirect the municipal economy, we need other cost contention measures. Since the main municipal expenditure is staff, and with the municipal budget of 2012 in mind, we developed a plan that will allow the Town to save 1,9 million per year, a measure absolutely necessary and essential under the situation in which we find ourselves.

To implement those measures we had two choices: lay off workers or distribute cost reductions among the entire workforce. We chose the second option, as we consider it to be more supportive, fair and balanced. We informed Unions of such a decision. The package provides the cancellation of productivity schemes and the pension plan agreed by the previous government, reduce overtime of the Local Police Brigade and performance-related pays of the municipal squad, reduce temporary contracts and supplementary payments of work positions. This sums up to those already announced and applied at the beginning of the term, that were geared to reduce salaries of elected officials and managers.

No one wants to deal with such actions. Such actions are not popular, and their implementation is quite unsavory. Behind every employee of the City Hall, there's a personal and familiar reality that also suffers from the current situation. I'm fully aware, and that is why I want to thank them for their professionalism and solidarity.

Austerity is not only the flagship of our City Council, but a dire necessity. The corporation's financial situation is so critical that it requires efforts and sacrifices by all.

Fairer Ordinances

The Ordinances provide
for allowances of facades

The Municipal Plenary Meeting held on 24 October approved revenue ordinances and public fees corresponding to 2012. The proposal made by the government of The New Majority and exposed by the Councillor for Finance and Public Innovation, Jordi Mas, modulates the prices with the triple purpose of rebalancing services provided by the City Council in a fair manner, so to avoid that citizens are forced to assume the entire cost and to fix rates in the current economic austerity policy, which, in the case of the city of Sitges, requires additional efforts because of erroneous and irresponsible management during recent years.

The proposed ordinances drafted by the municipal government stress the importance of social equality: it is fairer that those that use services pay for them than share their cost among all citizens. It is a policy that aims to balance services in a more equitable manner, and ensures their proper use by citizens.

At the same time, the Ordinances of 2012 also include a wide range of discounts aimed at segments that suffer most because of the crisis and the current difficulties, and that are a top priority for our government. Actions that benefit the whole municipality and surrounding areas from a social standpoint, such as the regular use of the waste collection centers, rehabilitation of facades or the removal of architectural barriers, among others.

In reference to the Real Estate Tax (IBI), the municipal government - even considering the pitiful plight of municipal finances - has kept the increase in the same terms as the CPI, ie, 3%.

Unfortunately, there are those who want to confuse maliciously the people of Sitges, making totally biased interpretations of tax ordinances and public prices that are entirely packed with lies and fabricated information. I refer to the main opposition group, the PSC. They answered to the responsible initiative of the New Majority with a writing filled with fabricated information, in no way extracted from the document approved by the Municipal Plenary Meeting.

It is quite sad that the PSC of Sitges is basing its policy in lies in an attempt to confuse the people of Sitges with false information (such as the lunacy that "the increase of taxes is 23 %"!!!). Indeed, if the financial and economic situation of the City is in a very critical condition (do not forget that our City is among the 10 Catalan municipalities with the worst economic data, according to an external report) is due to bad management, suicidal expenditures and overinflated staff. The legacy of eight years of socialist rule. The new municipal government, however, has accepted the difficult challenge of redirecting the situation, without placing the burden of past errors on the shoulders of the inhabitants of Sitges. And these municipal ordinances passed by the Municipal Plenary Meeting, are a good proof of our intent.

In addition, I will take advantage of these lines to affectionately greet the new era of the Sitges Heritage Consortium. The Consortium was incorporated last Thursday under the direction of Vinyet Panyella, with the clear goal of finishing the refurbishment works of museums according to the criteria established by the City Hall and the Provincial Council, that avoid breaking our historical waterfront or damaging our heritage, as was the intent of the past proposal prepared by the socialist government.