Representatives from around 70 cities and districts pulled a larger-than-life and heavily laden donkey figure in front of the SPD headquarters in Berlin on Monday to draw attention to their difficult financial situation.
The pack animal also stopped at the CDU, FDP, Linker and the Greens.
The alliance “For the dignity of our cities” warned of the impending incapacity of the municipalities.
Berlin - One of the reasons for this is the insufficient financial equalization by the federal and state governments, it said.
Since the expenses are higher than the compensation payments, the municipalities are driven into a debt trap.
In addition, the alliance demanded that the federal and state governments should take over part of the old debts.
Disadvantaged municipalities are currently busy with the repayment, while others can invest broadly.
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County council calls for more money for hospitals
From the point of view of the district council, the state of Baden-Württemberg must invest more money in hospitals.
The efforts are certainly to be recognized, said General Manager Alexis von Komorowski in Stuttgart.
"With a view to the further development of the hospital locations, modern equipment and, above all, the progressive digitization of hospitals, the state must significantly increase its financial commitment if the high quality of care is to be maintained."
County council calls for more money for hospitals
SPD criticizes the green-black budget draft
The SPD has criticized the budget draft of the green-black state government as inadequate and again denounced the taking on of new debts.
The parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch announced on Saturday in Stuttgart that Grün-Schwarz complained about the tight coffers and that new debts had to be taken on.
"But every person who has ever had a report from the audit office in hand knows that the supposedly clammy coffers are filled to the brim."
SPD criticizes the green-black budget draft
In order to facilitate investments, the alliance also demands a reduction in the prescribed own funds that usually have to be raised when participating in funding programs.
Changes are also necessary in the tax legislation, because while some municipalities have to set their tax rates particularly high, others operate “tax dumping”.
That pulls economic power from the disadvantaged cities.
The representatives of the alliance are forced to their knees - this should also reflect the donkey figure, who carried heavy sacks on his back.
From this, the parties were each symbolically given a stone with the inscription “Germany needs municipalities capable of acting for its future tasks”.
dpa