District - The fact that the municipalities came through the crisis more or less unscathed last year was due to the fact that the federal and state governments compensated for the corona-related business tax losses quickly and easily.
However, it has not yet been determined whether this financial compensation will also be available this year, which is why the City and Municipal Day urgently appeals to Berlin and Munich:
"This year too, the shortfall in income must be compensated!"
Stefan Kolbe, spokesman for the mayors in the district, supports this initiative "extraordinarily", as he emphasized when asked.
Dachau's Lord Mayor Florian Hartmann also says: "Without quick help from the federal government and the state, the red pen will rule!"
Kolbe emphasizes that the corona crisis means "insane losses" for his community. In this respect, the compensation payment shouldered jointly by the federal and state governments "already helped". However, Kolbe also says that the crisis money can only be a temporary solution, because: “We need a new system!” While the district could balance their budgets via the district levy and the district via the district levy, municipalities would have to bear a multiple burden shoulder: They have to pay a levy, they have to finance their day-to-day operations and shoulder investments. The result: "We turn over every euro!"
And if the levy-based municipal financing could not be changed, then the greater Munich area should at least be recognized as a "greater area with special need for action", believes Kolbe.
In view of the massive influx, Karlsfeld, for example, is currently building a primary school for 41 million euros.
Dachau also needs - at least - a new elementary school, the district is building or is currently planning two new high schools.
MdL Seidenath supports the proposal
CSU member of the state parliament, Bernhard Seidenath, fully supports Kolbe's proposal: “That was my idea, always it was!
Dachau is a real area with a special need for action! ”But, Seidenath regrets, he does not get any support in the state parliament.
Not even the mayors from the greater Munich area are in agreement;
It is even more difficult to convince colleagues from the supposedly poorer administrative districts to transfer money to the supposedly rich Munich area.
At least as far as trade tax compensation for this year is concerned, Seidenath gives Bavaria the green light: "The Free State would pay again if the federal government imposed it."
Skepticism in Berlin
In Berlin, however, they don't want to let the buck be pushed. Katrin Staffler, member of the CSU Bundestag, explains that the financial resources of the municipalities are basically a matter for the federal states. In addition, there is currently a lack of data to discuss further trade tax compensation. For them, “a responsible use of taxpayers money” means “that we do not blindly distribute money”.
Your SPD colleague Michael Schrodi sees it the same way and adds that the compensation of trade tax by the federal government in the previous year was only possible through a “one-time” amendment to the Basic Law. According to Schrodi, the prerequisite for further compensation is “that the Free State of Bavaria and the other 15 federal states initially fulfill their tasks and provide financial resources” and again agree to an amendment to the Basic Law. But then, according to Schrodi, the SPD and Finance Minister Olaf Scholz would be ready to provide additional funds to compensate for the trade tax.
