City Hall of Estepona has obtained a surplus of 20.2 million euros after the budget settlement of last year 2021, as well as paid 77% of the debt inherited in 2011 of 304 millionwhich today stands at 68 million, as announced on Tuesday by the deputy mayor of the Economic, Innovation and Human Resources area, José María Ayala.
The municipal official has indicated that the Consistory will account for the settlement of the 2021 budget in the plenary session to be held tomorrow, Wednesday, March 30, a document stating that the inherited debt stood at 70.6 million euros at the end of last year.
The City Council has managed to place all economic magnitudes positive for the sixth consecutive year, with a budget surplus of 20.2 million euros, budget stability at 15 million euros and the remaining cash at 18.97 million euros.
“The City Council of Estepona is today a serious, healthy and responsible administration which has laid the foundations for economic stability for many years and we have gone from ruin and bankruptcy in which the socialists left the Consistory in 2011 to stability, lower taxes and public investment in the city“, has explained.
In relation to the inherited debt, the Estepona City Council has paid since 2011 and on average about 60,000 euros per day of that debit inherited, placing the debt at present at 68 million euros, having paid 77% of the 304 million.
Thus, all the unaccounted-for invoices were eliminated, the so-called ‘bills in drawers’ (33 million euros) or the total payment of the debt inherited with the Junta de Andalucía for the improper or unjustified use of subsidies granted by the regional administration to the previous socialist government (6 million euros).
Also, from the City Council they have indicated that the debt inherited from the Tax Agency (18 million euros) ended, the entire debt inherited from the water service concessionaire (8 million euros) was paid and already paid more than 81.5 million euros of inherited bank debt and generated largely by the Supplier Payment Plan that had to be signed in 2012, derived from unpaid bills by the Socialists between 2009-2011.
On the other hand, Ayala has detailed that for the financial year of 2022 it is contemplated to continue with the Payment of the commitments contracted with the Social Security Treasurywhose debt in 2011 was around €60 million and it is expected that in 2023 that inherited debt with this public body will be paid off.
In terms of investment, the mayor explained that Estepona remains at the head of the cities in the province of Malaga with the highest public investment per inhabitant. Specifically, the 2021 budget settlement includes public investments amounting to 16.2 million euros in public facilities and municipal projects that have contributed to the transformation and modernization of the city.
This investment effort is continued and accentuated in the 2022 financial year. For this reason, the current municipal budget contemplates the greater investment effort that has been carried out in the last decade (22.6 million euros), understanding that these productive investments entail important social benefits and are a clear economic recovery stimulator and the creation of employment and welfare in the city.