The Karlsfeld community is increasing daycare fees by up to 25 percent.
The local council decided that with a large majority.
Only one parliamentary group did not want to support an increase of this magnitude.
Karlsfeld
- The fees in the Karlsfeld childcare facilities are increasing dramatically.
At the beginning of 2022, parents will have to pay 25 percent more for care in after-school care centers, kindergartens and institutions with a mixed age group.
The day nursery fees will be increased by 15 percent.
The local council decided by a majority on Thursday evening.
In the past few months, municipal council meetings have always taken place in the community center - because of Corona.
On Thursday, the local council met for the first time in the newly renovated meeting room in the town hall.
And there the rows of listeners were fully occupied.
Many parents wanted to know whether the local council will stick to its September decision to increase daycare fees by up to 25 percent.
This is what the local council did.
Only the 20 percent increase in crèche fees that was decided in September does not come, it is only 15 percent.
The municipal council confirmed the 25 percent increase in each of the other facilities with its resolution on Thursday.
For this there was applause from a father - it was scornful applause. Many Karlsfeld mothers and fathers had hoped that the municipal council would overturn its September resolution due to the increasingly massive parental protests of late.
However, the entire council, including Mayor Stefan Kolbe, agreed: In view of the horrific 7 million deficit that Karlsfeld runs year after year with childcare, an increase in fees is essential. The five-member group of the Greens, however, did not want any increase in fees to this extent. The parliamentary group leader Heike Miebach suggested 20 percent more for the kindergarten, 15 for the after-school care center and ten for the crèche. She also said that the increase was "unfortunately inevitable". The massive increase, however, hits "some harder than others, that is unjust". Corona would have made the financial situation in many Karlsfeld families extremely difficult, and "families with several children were affected several times".
Her group colleague Michael Fritsch said that it mainly affects families "who are not so fat".
The increase takes away a large part of the financial leeway for these families.
The other council members stuck to their opinion.
“We have no other choice,” said Adrian Heim (Alliance for Karlsfeld), “I don't see any room for maneuver,” said Anton Flügel (Free Voters).
Venera Sansone (SPD) added that "we would have to distribute 7 million euros to the parents if we wanted to operate day-care centers to cover costs, you have to let that melt on your tongue."
Bündnis-Gemeinderat Heim stated that “each day care place costs over 1000 euros a month”.
Financial advisor Stefan Theil (CSU) said that the community had also "invested an extremely large amount" in care staff and in the creation of new facilities in recent years.
His criticism was directed at his party colleagues in the state capital: "The Free State of Bavaria has to support more."
A keyword for Stefan Kolbe, also CSU.
For years, the mayor of Karlsfeld has made no secret of the fact that, in his opinion, the federal and state governments are constantly entrusting the municipalities with new tasks without adequately financing the implementation.
The majority of the 7 million deficit was caused by personnel costs, Kolbe spoke of 80 percent.
Specialized staff in the field of childcare is very difficult to get, without the Munich allowance for employees, which is also granted in Karlsfeld, the municipality would not be competitive on the labor market.
Marco Brandstetter (Alliance) said that Karlsfeld does much more for families than other municipalities, “17 day-care centers for 22,000 inhabitants are a size that other municipalities cannot show.” And: “Try to get a place in a daycare center in Munich . "