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Philippe Laget, a union official at the General Confederation of Labor branch that represents public finance workers in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, said in an interview that the tool lumped together permanently built pools, which are taxable, with temporary ones that can be dismantled and are not taxable. Face-to-face interaction with taxpayers is key to untangling those situations, he said.
“We are not against technology,” Mr. Laget said. “But in no case should artificial intelligence replace human beings.”
The announcement on pools was not directly tied to the fight against climate change or the energy crunch caused by the war in Ukraine, but it came after weeks of devastating wildfires, severe drought and extreme heat that have strained Europe’s energy supply. These crises have raised questions about whether hallmarks of modern comfort like swimming pools were a necessity in times like this.
Heightened concerns over pollution and energy conservation have already led to growing calls to limit or even ban the use of private jets in France, and some say France should also regulate the use of swimming pools, despite scorching temperatures, as droughts and water restrictions become increasingly common.
Julien Bayou, the national secretary of France’s Green party, told the LCI television broadcaster on Tuesday that “if you want to organize an environmental transition, it has to be fair.”
“You can’t get the population on board if the rich, who by the way are the biggest polluters, get exemptions,” Mr. Bayou said.
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