Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Participatory Budgeting: Sitges citizens decide

I am very pleased to address you all to encourage you, ass citizens of Sitges, to be an active part of the public participation process for the 2015 budget. This is the first time that the City implements a process of direct participation on municipal finances, and we did it through the consensus of all political parties represented in the local council.

We are laying the foundation for a consolidated practice of participatory democracy that must be sustained over time. For this government, your voice and your needs are a priority. As described in Municipal Governance Plan, it has been so from day one, and the reason we have not started the process before it was because of the complicated debt situation of the City.

During our three years in office, we had the opportunity to receive your complaints, suggestions and proposals to improve Sitges. Public hearings, neighborhood meetings, full houses or social networks are some of the channels of expression that we made available and that many of you have used. But now we make a very important step, because you'll be the one who decides the fate of one million Euros to be invested in the first participatory budget.

We have made together a very hard but possible journey towards the recovery of municipal finances. The citizens of Sitges should be able to enjoy now the capacity to decide what they want for Sitges. In addition to laws that now do not allow debt levels capable of  endangering  public resources, you will also help avoiding any return to critical situations, thanks to the knowledge acquired during the participation in this process.

In a Democracy, citizens always have the last word. People have the right to decide and the inhabitants of Sitges over 16 years old can submit their proposals for the future of Sitges. I invite you to do so!