Lèves, a town of 7,000 inhabitants in Eure-et-Loir, voted on February 15, 2024 to reduce the rate of its local taxes for the tenth consecutive year.
This regular reduction of 0.5% each year concerns property taxes on buildings, unbuilt property as well as the housing tax on second homes.
“Financially, this represents an average saving of nearly 100 euros per household per year,” specifies the mayor.
“We initiated a policy of reducing operating expenses as soon as we came to power,” proudly announces Rémi Martial, mayor of Lèves, to explain this astonishing and rare longevity of tax reductions in his municipality.
At the forefront of the ingredients which made it possible to achieve this result, there is the saving of 200,000 euros per year on the school canteen.
In the past, the town prepared its own meals.
From now on, this service is provided by the central kitchen of Chartres Métropole.
According to the mayor, this choice made it possible to maintain affordable meal prices for families in the face of increases in production costs.
5 euros per meal on average compared to 12 euros in the neighboring town of Chartainvilliers.
30 municipal employee positions eliminated
Another element of response put forward by the elected official is the reduction in the surface area of municipal buildings.
For example, the CCAS building has disappeared to integrate that of the town hall, but also the old building of the Blue Cedar nursery school used by the leisure center and for after-school time has also made way.
“By reducing the surface area of municipal buildings and modernizing our infrastructure, we have optimized our resources while improving our energy efficiency”, like the primary school and the town hall which underwent significant work under his mandate.
The mayor tells us he made difficult decisions.
“Of course, we have encountered opposition, but we have always acted in the general interest, explaining our decisions and showing the concrete results of our action.
» Decisions which led the elected official to eliminate in 10 years, 30 municipal agent positions going from 110 to 80 today.
On the side of the opposition within the municipal council, the view is not the same on the situation.
According to Marie-José Guillet, the tax reduction presented by the mayor must be interpreted with caution.
Towards the end of the decline
“The elected representatives of the minority voted for the 0.50% reduction in local tax rates to mitigate the +3.9% revaluation of the rental base set by the State,” she explains.
“In reality, landowners will see their annual contribution increase by 3.5% on the municipal part.
» In addition, it highlights the introduction of a new additional tax of 7.5% for the budget of CHARTRES MÉTROPOLE, voted in 2022 by community elected officials from the list of the mayor of Lèves.
This measure, according to her, has a significant impact on the purchasing power of households, thus contradicting the notion of tax reduction.
“Ultimately, the reality is a significant increase in taxation,” she concludes.
Concerning municipal expenses, Marie-José Guillet also expresses her concerns, affirming “We opposed the budget of the city of Lèves because we wish to focus a greater part of the operating expenses on serving the people of Lèves who need support, mainly children and seniors;
delivery of meals and digital support, theater and music activities in schools, expansion of library activities and opening hours.
»
Still, this fiscal success story for the Lévois should come to an end.
“We may need to review our tax policy in the future, but one thing is certain: we do not want to raise taxes on our citizens.
» says the mayor of Lèves.