One of the most striking details arising from the 2021 budget announced by the mayor, Emilio Bascuñana (PP) last week was the increase in income and expenses. It will increase from 83 million euros in the current accounts to 111 million euros, the highest spending and investment figure in the history of the municipal budget.
The increase is due to the anticipation of a loan of 27 million euros. It is a loan that the mayor failed to mention in the press release explaining the preliminary draft budgets that, for the moment, does
The conditions under which the loan is to be negotiated are also unusual. The City Council would pay back the amount over 15 years, finishing in 2036 and during the years 2022 and 2023, the two that still remain of the current government term, no capital will be repaid, only the interest which will not require and tax increases amongst Orihuela’s residents.
Like many other municipalities in the province, Orihuela has substantially reduced its debt with banks in recent years, allowing it once again to borrow.
Among the investments planned in the new budget, which Bascuñana and the councillor for finance, Rafael Almagro, are expected to break down , is more than three million euros to pay for civic centres in the tiny pedania of La Matanza and Orihuela Costa, the latter one of the most frequent claims by it’s residents, as well as more than 3 million for improvements to sports facilities.
