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Katharina Dröge, leader of the Greens parliamentary group in the Bundestag
Photo:
IMAGO/Christian Spicker
A company car that can also be used privately can be worthwhile, especially for high earners.
Even with expensive company cars, they only have to pay tax on a flat rate of one percent of the list price - the use of the car is therefore almost completely free of charge for them.
And companies can deduct the cost of the company car from their taxes.
The parliamentary group leader of the Greens in the Bundestag, Katharina Dröge, now wants to reduce these privileges in order to be able to offer a cheap local transport ticket nationwide in the style of the 9-euro ticket.
»Such a public transport ticket can be financed by eliminating the so-called company car privilege.
That would be positive for climate protection and justice in two senses, "said Dröge to the newspapers of the Funke media group.
Dröge told the Funke newspapers: “We need a nationwide, cheap local transport ticket.
The decision is now possible and necessary.« The 9-euro ticket should not simply expire in September without a follow-up solution, she warned.
The evaluation in November promised by Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) is too late.
Lindner sees no money for an extension
The 9-euro ticket is a real hit and a complete success.
"If more people decide to switch to bus and train, that's good for the climate and for less traffic on the streets." In addition, the ticket relieves people with low incomes in particular, who are currently suffering from the high prices.
The last month of the 9-euro ticket begins this Monday.
From June to August, bus and train drivers could and can use local and regional transport nationwide for 9 euros per month.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) had again rejected expectations of a successor plan at the weekend.
“The fuel discount and 9-euro ticket are running out.
There will be no follow-up regulation," said Lindner of the "Bild am Sonntag".
Green boss Ricarda Lang had previously demanded that a follow-up regulation for the ticket had to be found.
As far as the search for funding is concerned, the Greens are "of course always ready to talk about the cancellation of environmentally harmful subsidies".
Should the financing not succeed, Lower Saxony has already announced that it will consider a North German model as a successor to the 9-euro ticket.
The State Ministry of Transport in Hanover said: "If a nationwide ticket cannot be implemented, the five northern German federal states could alternatively set something up."
Apr/AFP