Many members of the non Spanish community who reside along the coast still feel that they should stay out of Spanish politics even though they are living here in Spain, pay their taxes and local taxes here in Spain and are directly influenced in their daily lives by the decisions made by the local councillors who are supposedly there to serve Orihuela as a whole,
Gone are the days when the huge ex-pat population should think of themselves as visitors.
Those people who have taken up residency here in Spain have shown that they are full members of the local community where they are living. Along with residency come the obligations of paying taxes to help provide the services that all people who live here, whether Spanish or non Spanish are entitled to,
If the non Spanish population financially contribute to the community through local and national taxes then they have even more right in voicing their opinions about how that money should be spent, especially on the local level, this can only really be done at the ballot box.
Orihuela Costa has some very distinct features that have historically meant that decisions made about spending patterns within the Orihuela Municipality have favoured the mainly Spanish inhabitants of Orihuela City itself and the many small villages found inland to the disadvantage of the coastal resident,
One of the most distinctive features of Orihuela Costa is that very high portion of its inhabitants are non Spanish, Another feature of Orihuela Costa is that this is the area that has seen the greatest growth in population ( roughly 700 a year) anywhere within the Orihuela area, No other area within Orihuela has seen so much growth in economic activity, clearly dominated by house building, tourism in all its aspects and retail.
There can be no denying that the wealth creation centre of Orihuela is decidedly based along the coastal margin. However, it is equally valid to state that this is not and never has been evident in the spending patterns of the Orihuela Municipal Council who have used and abused the inhabitants of Orihuela Costa and have decidedly used revenues received from this area to improve the lives of people living over thirty kilometres away whilst totally neglecting and negating the needs and well being the coastal resident.
It is normally true that all town council spending whether here in Spain or back in the home countries of many ex-pat inhabitants attempts to ensure that areas that are more deprived than others have access to equal level of services as more affluent areas,
Normally councillors attempt to ensure that there is fairness in the provision and delivery of council based services throughout their municipality, However this is not at all the case here on Orihuela Costa. Whilst Orihuela Costa may be the most economically productive region is within Orihuela it is by far the most deprived in terms of necessary and needed public services.
How can we change this pattern of discrimination, easily, every vote matters in the next local elections, the more votes the more representative from the coast at the council table fighting our case for equality,and then eventually bring about Independence for Orihuela Costa.
Your vote matters in local elections! These elections have a direct impact on spending patterns within a municipal area and the councillors who are elected are responsible in making decisions about what facilities and services the area you live in receives. When there are so few councillors who represent Orihuela Costa is it surprising that spending always goes to Orihuela City and the small villages. You can help change this situation.
PIOC Press Release
