As of: January 26, 2024, 6:46 a.m
By: Peter Schiebel
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The Starnberg city treasury is as empty as (exceptionally) the Starnberg seaside resort in this photo.
There is a risk of severe cuts in order to ensure the city's ability to act.
© City administration
The city of Starnberg's budget for the current year will not be discussed in the main and finance committee - as is usual - but in the much larger city council.
Nine city councilors requested this.
And Mayor Patrick Janik also believes a broad base is appropriate due to the critical financial situation.
Starnberg
– This is likely to be the toughest budget deliberations in Starnberg for a long time.
According to the last known figure from December 18th, this year there is a shortfall of 5.5 million euros in the asset budget alone, from which current business is financed.
“There is a risk of inability to act,” said Raymund Helfrich, consultant to the Bavarian Academy for Administrative Management, in a closed meeting of the city council on January 12th and recommended that the entire range of city services be put to the test, from voluntary subsidies to standards in the compulsory tasks (we reported).
Mayor Patrick Janik now wants to provide advice on where, when and to what extent savings will be made on the broadest possible basis: the public meetings of the main and finance committee scheduled for February 8th and 19th have been canceled, but city council meetings have been scheduled for both days.
Janik was also responding to a request from city councilors Anke Henniger (FDP), Michael Mignoli, Franz Heidinger (both BLS), Josef Pfister, Eva Pfister, Anton Summer, Stefan Kandler (all BMS), Dr.
Johannes Glogger and Ralf Breitenfeldt (both WPS).
The nine had asked for exactly that.
“With the likely far-reaching resolutions, all city councilors should be able to take part in the discussion so that they can then represent resolutions together,” the application said.
They were also critical of advisor Helfrich's suggestion of developing positions in advance in a non-public retreat.
“The citizens of Starnberg deserve honest and unsparing information about the budget situation as well as the opportunity to participate,” wrote the nine members.
This excludes personnel matters, property matters and other non-public topics provided for by law.
The letter continues: “A list of cuts and fee and tax increases drawn up in advance behind closed doors only fuels mistrust and, in our view, contradicts the general obligation to address financial issues in public meetings.” However, there were no public closed meetings Budget has also been given in previous years.
Nine city councilors canceled their participation in the meeting
The nine city councilors had canceled their participation in the budget meeting planned for the first weekend in February on Friday and Saturday.
When asked by Merkur, Anke Henniger cited “personal reasons” for this.
In the meantime, Patrick Janik has rescheduled the exam for Friday.
He said he had no problem with it at all.
Saturday was an offer so that the city councilors would not have to spend hours discussing the budget after a working day.
However, he does not accept the criticism of the nine city councilors that the invitation was issued at too short notice.
The date has been known for a long time, said Janik.
He also made it clear that he would not allow any decisions to be made in closed meetings.
This remains the responsibility of the committees and the city council.
“I have no resistance to political discussions.
I'm looking forward to it because we have to evaluate fundamental things," said Janik and emphasized: "We have more important things to do than worry about formalities."
Henniger was pleased about the current development.
“Our cover letter has already made a difference,” she said on Thursday.
Janik could not yet predict how painful the consultations would be.
His first priority is the budget for the current year with the expenses and income that will take effect in 2024.
However, the “structural components” also need to be discussed.
“The really painful incisions come later.”