Household in the subjunctive: Neubiberg expects tax revenues to plummet

The corona virus also affects the municipalities financially. Neubiberg, for example, expects a drop in trade tax revenue. The prospects were actually rosy.

Neubiberg - If the budget for 2020 is currently being discussed in Neubiberg, then it's in the subjunctive. "The first quarter would have gone well," said treasurer Fabian Leininger in his quarterly report in the town council. In view of a massive plus of around 3.8 million euros in trade tax revenue above the budget, this sounded "just fine". But satisfaction quickly gave way to the facts. "Due to Corona, we expect a very significant decrease in trade tax income in the rest of the year," explained Leininger. One is in "intensive discussions especially with the large trade taxpayers".

Leininger did not want to give exact figures. Not even whether the municipality needs its own supplementary budget for 2020 due to the expected shortages. The municipality will meet the companies on request with interest-free trade tax deferrals until June 30. After all: "The liquidity of the community is guaranteed at least until the end of the year," said the treasurer confidently. No wonder. Neubiberg's reserves at the beginning of the year amounted to 46 million euros plus a reserve of around four million euros for possible declines in trade tax. However, due to high investment plans, the budget, even without Corona, provided that the savings saved could decrease to around 850,000 euros by 2022. "You have to be extremely careful with investments and expenditures," emphasized Leininger.

“The greatest caution” with all expenses

Given the predictions made during pandemic times, the red pencil could be used especially for the community center project, which was recently estimated at around 23 million euros. In any case, doubters about the project volume, such as CSU finance officer Hartmut Lilge or Greens parliamentary group leader Kilian Körner, were confirmed in their warning that the community could not afford this scope. "It was good that, contrary to the opinion of those with the thick cheeks, we avoided spending too much on the citizens' center," warned Lilge "with the greatest care with all expenses". Because especially with many distressed small companies, which accounted for around 80 percent of the normal trade tax revenue in Neubiberg, the "income does not flow", fears the finance officer. That is why it will only be possible to plan the scope of large projects such as the community center "if we also know what will ultimately come in".

Mayor Günter Heyland (FW) did not want to leave that in the room. He replied that "no one" could have guessed what was coming in January. Already in a month you will know "what is coming". At least with the time horizon, there was still reliable information. Heyland advised Heyland Thomas Pardeller (CSU), who will succeed him in office on May 1st.