Andalusia bucks austerity trend by hiking outlays on education

Andalusia, the only region still under exclusive Socialist control, has pledged not to go the way of other regions in the deficit-reduction fervor gripping the country in taking the ax to spending on social services. According to its draft budget for next year approved Tuesday by the regional government, spending on education, health and social services will be maintained at the expense of investment where outlays are projected to fall 9.9 percent.

Announcing the budget plan, the government official in charge of the finance and public administration department, Carmen Martínez Aguayo, said that since education lies at the "core" of the Socialists' economic policy, spending next year will actually rise 2.5 percent to ¤6.297 billion. The government plans to increase the number of public kindergarten places available to 100,000.

At 37 percent, Andalusia's high-school dropout rate is second only to that of the Balearic Islands.

Martínez Aguayo said spending on social policies accounts for 83 percent of next year's total budget. Outlays on public works and housing will be cut by a combined 25.3 percent.

The budget was unveiled less than a month before general elections set for November 20, which opinion polls indicate will be won by the opposition conservative Popular Party. Regional elections in Andalusia are due in March.

The premier of the government of the Canary Islands, Paulino Rivero, yesterday also pledged to maintain spending on social services in 2012.