New sales tax law: City hopes for more money - but "there are still unanswered questions"
Created: 01/03/2023 08:57
By: Carl Christian Eick
The municipality expects financial benefits from the new sales tax law, which the city of Wolfratshausen has been applying since January 1st.
© dpa
The city of Wolfratshausen applies a new sales tax law - much earlier than other municipalities.
She hopes for financial benefits.
Wolfratshausen – The city council had to chew on a very heavy diet in its last meeting last year.
Key word: sales tax law.
A matter so complex that Dr.
Hans Schmidt (Greens) frankly and freely admitted after a long debate: "We are overwhelmed here." He would have "expected a proposal from the administration," said Schmidt.
New sales tax law: City hopes for financial benefits
Around four weeks ago, the Bavarian Association of Cities informed the municipalities in the Free State that they can still apply the existing VAT law up to and including 2024.
This is provided for in a draft by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
It was originally intended that the new sales tax law should take effect as early as January 1, 2023 - this is now an optional provision.
You can read all the news from Wolfratshausen here.
Good advice was expensive.
City Treasurer Peter Schöfmann expects "advantages" from the application of the new sales tax law.
But how high a possible plus could be expressed in euros and cents - "I don't trust myself to make a clear statement," said Schöfmann.
In the draft resolution for the city council, however, the chamberlain pointed out that the municipality would benefit from the new regulation, since, among other things, the input tax incurred in the renovation of the town hall café would be “fully” refundable.
The same applies to the operation of the municipal sports halls and parking lots.
Wolfratshausen: Is there more money for the city?
"Are there any questions left"
Some citizens' representatives were taken aback by the fact that the vast majority of the member municipalities surveyed by the Bavarian Association of Cities decided to retain the old sales tax law until the end of 2024.
Possible reasons, according to Peter Schöfmann, are the high organizational effort involved in the changeover and "application questions" that are still open.
However, the head of the town hall, Klaus Heilinglechner (citizens' association), emphasized that the administration was prepared and could get started in a timely manner.
He did not want to "put the topic on the back burner".
"There are still unanswered questions," admitted Second Mayor Günther Eibl (CSU).
But the “basic statements” he heard were positive.
"We have to do it at some point, so let's do it now."
Earlier than many other municipalities: New law applies in Wolfratshausen
The spokesman for the SPD/FDP parliamentary group, Fritz Meixner, was of the same opinion.
Since the municipal utilities are also "prepared" according to the mayor, Meixner saw no reason to wait with the changeover.
Not least because city treasurer Schöfmann already applied the new sales tax law when preparing the draft budget for 2023.
"Everything would then have to be set up again."
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With 23 votes to 0, the city council clearly voted to throw the old sales tax law overboard at the end of the year.
Mayor Heilinglechner will revoke the declaration of option made to the tax office in Miesbach that he only wants to do this at the end of 2024.
