Not only because of the unusual Easter market: The Corona crisis is also causing the city of Bad Tölz to spin financially. City treasurer Hermann Forster now raised the alarm.
Bad Tölz - The consequences of the corona crisis will weigh on Germany for many years or maybe even decades: Hermann Forster, treasurer of the city of Tölz, is convinced of this. And so the budget, the main and finance committee approved on Thursday evening, is characterized by many uncertainties - and may not even be worth the paper it is on.
What Hermann Forster had to say at the meeting - the councils had taken a sufficient distance from one another - was anything but gratifying: “As it stands, we will not be able to keep it in any way. All dams break. It is very, very difficult to even set up a household at this point. "
Income from the city of Bad Tölz breaks away at all corners and ends
Revenue breaks away at every nook and corner. The tourism and tourist tax is reduced, as are the parking fees. With a view of the Schloßplatz, Forster said: "There is no car down there anymore." The youth hostel always went well. But since all school trips have been canceled, the house has been empty - the rental income, which is based on occupancy, is falling accordingly.
During the committee meeting, city treasurer Hermann Forster pointed to the empty parking lot at Schloßplatz. The city lacks the income from the parking fees.
© Patrick Staar
Forster: "The youth hostel is extremely badly hit by the crisis - just like all other tourist companies." Right now you will see the great importance that tourism has for Bad Tölz, "even if many do not like to hear it".
The real estate market is quasi "dead". According to Forster, trade tax revenues will also decrease. Especially in the event area, it looks "zappenduster". There is only hope from medium-sized businesses whose order books are still full. "The big end will come later, probably only in a year or two." The city councilor reports that the city has already received the first requests for a reduction in the business tax advance payment.
The corona crisis is also affecting urban businesses and events. For example, the employees of the closed city library are currently busy mailing election letters: "If they no longer have overtime, we will have to send them home."
Hermann Forster, city treasurer Bad Tölz
© Arndt Pröhl
The Easter market organized by the Tourist Info had to be canceled. Forster hopes that at least the Christkindl market can take place. The only positive thing is that the past few years have been “very, very good”: “The low interest rates would have tempted to reduce the reserves to zero. Thank God we didn't do that. "In addition, the city only pays EUR 100,000 in interest per year:" That's almost nothing. "
In the middle of the year, the new city council had to draw up a supplementary budget: "You have to think about which investments can be postponed."
Low debt creates air
There is no point in saving now, "that it squeaks," said Christof Botzenhart (CSU): "Because this may deprive us of other income opportunities." The balance between income and expenditure is "a dance on the rope", confirmed Forster: “Saving isn't always the last word of wisdom. You can also save in the wrong places. "
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It was now necessary to draw up a list of priorities about which investments were really necessary, said Anton Mayer (CSU). "And then helmet on and through." Martin Harrer (FWG) also asked to first postpone the awarding of construction projects. There are twelve newcomers to the city council, "and they have to get their bearings first," Forster pointed out. In two months you will see more clearly: “All we have done so far would be actionism. A shot in the blue. Just as if I was shooting out of the window with an air rifle. "
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Mayor Josef Janker also sees it this way: “We have air for two months.” Franz Mayer-Schwendner (Greens) sees the situation somewhat more relaxed. "We have carefully considered the investment list." Since the city has hardly any debt, there is room for improvement: "Let's see that normality continues as best it can." Anton Mayer (CSU) contradicted this. Building is difficult. There is hardly any structural steel on the market, the majority of the sanitary facilities come from Italy. Ultimately, the committee unanimously approved the budget.
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