Olot asks to halt population growth to ensure public services

The mayor of Olot, Agustí Arbós, recently expressed his concern about the rate of demographic growth in the city, which is around one thousand new residents per year. According to Arbós, this sustained increase is "unacceptable" and requires a pause to prevent the saturation of essential public services. With a population close to 40,000 residents, the city faces a challenge that goes beyond the local level. In fact, the mayor considers this a national issue that must be addressed urgently.

The main concern lies in the actual capacity of the municipal administration to keep an adequate level of services with this demographic increase. Arbós points out that professionals in key sectors have warned that the pressure on healthcare, education, social services, and other resources is growing. In this context, the mayor states that "there aren't enough resources to sustain a strong welfare state" if this growth rate is kept.

Additionally, in Olot's case, the town has geographical limitations that make expansive urban development difficult without negatively affecting quality of life. Among the measures implemented by the city council, the creation of a census office stands out, aimed at detecting and combating registration fraud.

Since its implementation, cases have already been identified of people registered at residences where they don't live, as well as property owners who charge for this procedure. This confirms that the census serves (and has served) as a legal fraud method to accommodate migratory pressure.

a general problem (and adrift)

This local scenario reflects a broader phenomenon that's also being observed in other regions of Spain and Catalonia. Across the territory, the massive population increase due to immigration has caused significant tensions in infrastructure and public services. Recent studies, such as that of the Círculo Cívico de Opinión, indicate that the constant arrival of migrants lowers GDP per capita.

The Spanish economic model, based on a market with an abundance of low-skilled labor, has incentivized high migratory flows. This, in turn, has caused a reduction in wages and stagnation of real wealth. Furthermore, the absence of a selective and regulated immigration policy results in massive regularizations that kick the can down the road.

In Catalonia, population growth has caused a situation of exhaustion in administrative response capacity. Official reports, such as that of the Sindicatura, highlight that healthcare, education, and security are experiencing considerable strain. The increase in demand exceeds investment and management capacity, which translates into waiting lists, problems in classrooms, and tensions in the public security system.