2023-12-21 16:40:00
This Monday, the Waterloo municipal council looked at the budget for this last year of the 2018-2024 legislature. A stable budget, which “does not commit the next legislature” as described by Mayor Florence Reuter (MR).
In addition to the debt which increases slightly due to the purchase of the building with a view to moving the police and the CPAS (5 million euros), the municipality of Lion is investing in several infrastructure improvement projects such as the renovation of the roof of the sports hall but above all the redevelopment of part of the Brussels roadway. This third phase of the project will this time be between Allée du Petit Paris and Rue René Dewit (along the Jules Descampe municipal park).
For 3,950,000 euros, the Waterloo police have their new police station
Concretely, everything will be redone between the two streets: the resurfacing of the road, the marking of parking spaces, the development of sidewalks and even the replacement of public lighting. To finance the work, the municipality has released a budget of 1.5 million euros, including €700,000 in subsidies from the Walloon Region.
The work should begin on Chaussée de Bruxelles in spring 2024 and last a few months, announces Mobility Alderman, Brian Grillmaier (MR). The diversions have not yet been defined but the alderman hopes that, like the previous phase, a strip will remain accessible on the Brussels road in one direction, and the contour will be via rue François Libert (in front of the municipal house).
Also Alderman for Commerce, Brian Grillmaier says he is concerned regarding the impact of his work on the shops in the center: “The merchants are starting to prepare. This is going to be a long period of work and we are going to make sure that they are impacted as little as possible.”
“A reasonable and responsible budget”
Regarding the budget, Waterloo presents it as “reasonable and responsible”. There is no upheaval in the ordinary service (linked to the daily functioning of the municipality), where personnel costs remain stable, with the exception of the indexation of salaries. The local police and the CPAS, as well as various non-profit organizations will retain the subsidies paid by the municipality. They will be adjusted upwards or downwards during the financial year, depending on changes in costs (energy, materials, etc.).
“We have not increased the personal income tax rate (IPP), nor the additional cents for property tax,” declared the mayor. But successive indexations – including that of cadastral income – are automatically reflected in our budget.” The PPI therefore remains at 5.7% and the additional centimes at 1,700. The 2024 budget is therefore planned, assures the majority, so as not to engage the next legislature.
Braine-l’Alleud, the “tax haven of Wallonia”: personal tax will fall further
“This budget does not focus on municipal needs”
On the opposition side, although the budget is balanced, they denounce a lack of risk-taking for the current electoral year. “This budget does not focus on municipal needs,” declares the elected MVW, Jean-Michel Cassiers for whom the budget and in particular that allocated to the police lack investment in radars and surveillance cameras.
For its part, Ecolo notes a budget that is part of continuity and which “does not meet the climate ambitions of 2024”, denounces Bénédicte Colla. Finally, the independent municipal councilor MR, Etienne Verdin, wonders why Waterloo has not followed the example of its twin Braine-l’Alleud, whose IPP has fallen. If he judges the budget “reasonable”, he is offended to see that it “translates nothing” in terms of ambitions.
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