The district of Miesbach must not forget these problems despite the mega-debt

Created: 01/10/2023 09:32

By: Dieter Dorby

The district office has to stretch financially to the ceiling with its planned replacement building.

© Thomas Plettenberg

In its most recent meeting, the district council of the district of Miesbach unanimously approved the budget for 2023 and thus followed the recommendation of the district committee (we reported).

The good news is that, despite high expenses, there are no plans to take on debt.

But issues remain.

The high level of approval among the district councils is due to the consensual work at the round table, where most of the voting work was done.

As a result, the parliamentary groups supported the figures for the new year, but also gave warning words in the debate.

For example, Hausham's mayor and deputy district administrator Jens Zangenfeind (FWG) referred to the 88 million euro district levy with which the 17 municipalities are providing the district financially.

"That shows the financial power that the cities and municipalities provide," he said, praising their good work.

The fact that the levy remained at 52 percentage points is understandable.

"The municipalities see the financial needs that the district has." However, they also have to handle many tasks.

The goal must therefore remain to permanently lower the assessment rate.

Nonetheless, Zangenfeind rated the 2023 budget as a success: "That's a good basis for the future."

Green demand

The Rottach district councilor Thomas Tomaschek (Greens) confirmed that the round table had "strugged".

The district is in a reasonable position, although it is at the top in Bavaria with its 66.1 million euros in debt.

“We are reducing debt and still investing.” It is gratifying that more is to be invested in local public transport.

It is also a positive aspect that more than 300,000 euros are also being made available for voluntary services - "for those who make up the district".

SPD also sees further need

Christine Negele (SPD) interjected that these services are not voluntary.

She was glad that there were no cuts in the areas of youth and family, "because there is still a need".

Youth welfare in particular is a concern here.

The expenses have remained the same, “but the need for support has increased due to Corona.

That was a fire accelerator.” There was also the problem that the youth welfare office no longer knew where to put those affected.

It is also a focus for the future that the district must become more attractive as an employer in order to be able to fill its vacancies.

Praise for the district office

Rottach-Egern's Mayor Christian Köck (CSU), on the other hand, praised the cooperation at the round table, which "excellently prepared" the budget in a good working atmosphere.

"First Corona and then immediately the refugee crisis", that put a lot of strain on the administration.

One can be proud of the employees, although the district council must not forget “that behind every position there is a person with different resilience”.

"Others have also invested and are not as indebted as we are"

However, Gisela Hölscher (Freie Wahler) could not get used to the high level of debt: "Other districts have also invested in education and are not as heavily in debt as we are." Overall, this budget was a difficult task in order to be able to approve it in the end .

However, it is "extremely important" for the Free Voters to continue the debt reduction that started under the previous district administrator Wolfgang Rzehak (Greens).

Hölscher is also critical of the new municipal company Regionalentwicklung Oberland (REO), to which the location marketing company (SMG) and the Tourismusverband Alpenregion Tegernsee Schliersee (ATS) merged.

The equipment with 1.5 million euros are "high costs for a small team".

Now the unit must soon “present tangible results”.

ddy