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It is in an inflationary context that a new tax of €5 per year and per inhabitant has just been adopted in Nantes and in 23 neighboring municipalities.
On Friday, during the metropolitan council, the implementation of the Gemapi tax (Management of Aquatic Environments and Flood Prevention) won the vote of 84 elected officials, while 11 abstained.
Optional, its creation was approved more than a year ago.
It will bring 3.5 million euros in 2023 to communities and will in particular improve "
the good ecological state
" of rivers, said during the meeting Jean-Sébastien Guitton, vice-president of Nantes Métropole in charge of cycle water and biodiversity.
Read alsoIn Nantes, a great debate to imagine the city of tomorrow
Since 2018, the intermunicipalities have been in charge of the management of aquatic environments and flood prevention.
Initially, “
Nantes Métropole had chosen not to activate this possibility of a tax which was nevertheless designed to finance this transfer of skills.
Today, in view of the issues and the associated means, it appears essential
”, justifies the elected official, who speaks of an amount which remains “
measured, because we know that the inhabitants suffer the consequences of inflation
”.
What will this tax fund?
"
First, in the field of aquatic environments, it is used to restore waterways
", explains
Jean-Sébastien Guitton to
Figaro .
“
Some of the rivers no longer play their natural role of purifying pollutants and absorbing floods.
This creates disorders for biodiversity.
The aim is also to restore the rivers to a “
good ecological state
”, in accordance with the criteria of the European directives.
“
France is lagging behind in relation to these objectives
”.
In the metropolis, works are thus underway on the side of the Cens, the Gesvres, the Charbonneau, tributaries of the Erdre.
The new revenue will partly finance this restoration program for these three waterways, as well as those in the marsh district of Couëron.
Read alsoThe flood tax convinces more and more municipalities
Concretely, it can be a question of adding stones and pebbles to the bottom of a river to make it undulate and that in the end, in times of drought, the flow continues to flow.
It can also be a question of the fight against invasive species.
The other ambition is to prevent flooding.
This involves, for example, “
the maintenance of dykes to avoid submersion by the Loire
” or “
the development of retention basins
”.
Who will pay ?
The taxpayers concerned are those subject to housing tax on second homes, to property tax on built and unbuilt properties, to the business property tax (CVE).
“
€5 per inhabitant does not mean that everyone will pay this amount.
It's an average.
If someone lives with five children in his house, he will not pay for it five times over
,” specifies Jean-Sébastien Guitton.
He adds that “
on the coast, most EPCIs have implemented it.
In the South, they did it very quickly because the floods are very strong
”.
Stirrings in the opposition
The elected representatives of the opposition group Avenir métropolitain did not vote for this new measure and decided to abstain.
“
The effects of global warming are there.
The phenomena are real and we must act
”, began Julien Bainvel, elected on the right, during the metropolitan council, indicating that “
internal choices would have made it possible to finance the fight against the floods without creating a new tax.
»
Read alsoEnvironmental taxes cost nearly 60 billion per year to the French
“
You campaigned in 2020 not to increase or create new taxes.
Today, this promise is not kept.
I would tend to say that in terms of taxation, you are a repeat offender
, ”he launched to the mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rolland.
“
The metropolis has money since the 2023 budget amounts to 1.3 billion euros.
By creating the Gemapi tax, and setting its proceeds at 3.5 million euros, you are therefore counting on the equivalent of 0.2% of the 2023 budget. 0.2% of the metropolitan budget is the thickness du trait, Pascal Bolo would say to us
”, concluded the municipal councilor, addressing the vice-president in charge of finance.