Soaring nursery fees and deep cuts: Lancy pays the price for its growth as it nears becoming Geneva's second-largest city

Lancy, a rapidly growing municipality on the outskirts of Geneva, is grappling with a painful process of reducing its expenses and increasing its revenue. The town's residents will have their say at the ballot box on September 27.

On a recent Tuesday evening, the atmosphere in Lancy's municipal hall was far from festive. Amidst a heated environment, Mayor Salima Moyard faced the anger of about a hundred parents whose children attend the town's nurseries. Moyard, a socialist, explained for nearly four hours the drastic increase in fees announced just before the summer holidays. Many middle-class families, who are primarily affected, called the decision "a scandal."

The increase involves a uniform 4% rise in childcare costs. Additionally, the maximum income used to calculate fees is being revised. This move comes as Lancy, poised to become the second most populous town in the Geneva canton, confronts the financial consequences of its growth. The town is undertaking a difficult effort to reduce its expenditures and boost its income, a situation that has led to significant public discontent.

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Un scandale