Not only the city budget for 2021 is shaped by Corona.
It was also the city council meeting on Thursday, the last of the year.
Erding - The parliamentary groups of the Free Voters, von Erding Jetzt, the Greens and the ÖDP waived the obligatory budget speeches in order not to unnecessarily prolong the meeting and to limit it to the bare minimum.
The budget was then decided unanimously.
It will cost 127.8 million euros in 2021.
The administrative budget amounts to 87.5 million euros, it reveals daily business operations.
The asset budget for investments accounts for 40.3 million euros.
The budget had already been discussed extensively at the beginning of December (we reported).
Nevertheless, treasurer Kurt Hiller had to make improvements.
Because the - higher - district levy had to be factored in as well as the - regrettable - certainty that this year again, no key allocations from the state would be received.
Mayor Max Gotz (CSU) defended the 30 million euros that the city has to pay to the district.
"We are one of the profiteers." He was relieved that at least this year the corona-related business tax will not only be compensated by the federal government, but also by the Free State.
In the case of the ducal city, that is over 20 million euros.
But Gotz also directed words of warning towards the State Chancellery.
In the long run, the municipalities will be overwhelmed if they have to take on tasks beyond the sponsorship of the schools.
By this he meant, among other things, tablets and laptops for the distance learning due to the pandemic.
The current situation also allows Erding to violate an iron budget law.
Usually, the administrative budget has to raise money for investments.
In 2021, Kämmerer Hiller will allow almost eleven million euros to flow in the opposite direction - from the asset budget.
A special federal regulation makes this possible.
And then the difficult financial situation also makes it necessary to touch the reserves.
13.4 million euros are to be fetched from it.
If that is not enough either, there is a credit authorization for 20 million euros in the background - the last emergency nail.
Next year’s agenda includes the planning of two new fire stations, the completion of the new town hall and the renovation of the secondary school on Lodererplatz, the expansion of the steel museum and several new bike paths.
Despite the sharp calculation, SPD parliamentary group leader Alexander Gutwill did not speak of an austerity budget.
“In some cases, a lot of money is invested in the right places.” Gutwill is also happy that there are still some voluntary services available, for example for clubs.
Because the situation looks even less rosy in the next few years, it is important for Gutwill to strengthen Erding as a business location in order to attract companies and create jobs.
In addition, he also demanded that the creation of affordable living space should not lag behind.
CSU parliamentary group leader Burkhard Köppen sees “deep scratches” in the budget in 2021, “in 2022 we will have to use the red pencil even more”.
He fears that voluntary services could "then largely be a thing of the past".
As a "strong signal", Köppen assessed the decision not to turn the municipal tax screw again despite falling income.
He named the conversion of the air base and flood protection, "which we must not allow ourselves to be divided up," as the major challenges of the future.
Wolfgang Kellermann (AfD) saw an opportunity to promote art and generate income in the process - with a street art festival.
His role model is the Hundertwasser cities.
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