The lack of funds in the municipal treasury forced the Municipality of Albaida to approve a new short-term credit transaction with a credit institution in order to be able to pay the workers’ paychecks for the month of December and the supplier invoices. The PSPV of the municipality has indicated that the credit operation of 750,000 euros which was carried out in the month of May must be added to the 300,000 euros, for a total of 1,050,000 euros. For this reason, the credit operation had to go through the plenary session, as it exceeds 15% of the current resources liquidated in the previous year (precisely, 17.6%). The Municipal Socialist Group has been criticizing the constant increase in the cost of municipal personnel “for many years”, which from 2016 (2,435,000 euros) to 2022 (almost 3,500,000 euros) increased by over one million euros. “For many years we have also criticized the integration of productivity that is given without objective criteria to some municipal workers, which has also contributed to the year-on-year increase in personnel expenditure”, they specify.
The socialists recall that at the beginning of this year the municipal administration’s debt was still 9 million euros, and an important part will be paid off by 2037. “It will not be easy to balance the numbers of the 2023 budget, with an expenditure such an exorbitant staff for a municipality of 6,000 inhabitants,” they argue. “Compromís did not make it easy for the political party that wins the municipal elections in May 2023 to reduce the cost of personnel of the city council,” say the PSPV. The plenary also approved the modification of the new mayor’s dedication regime, passing from exclusive dedication to partial dedication of 80% (minimum 30 hours per week, 33,600 euros gross per year). The new mayor, Alejandro Quilis, will combine the task with the exercise of his profession.
