Status: 21/09/2023, 16:47 p.m.
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A construction worker sets paving stones. © Christoph Soeder/ZB/dpa
The end of road construction contributions for property owners in North Rhine-Westphalia is soon to be legally sealed. The Cabinet has passed a bill to this effect. After the association hearing, the law should be introduced into the state parliament in October, said a spokesman for the responsible municipal and building ministry on Thursday.
Dusseldorf - In fact, the controversial levy has already been abolished. However, the then government of the CDU and FDP had announced a law to this effect after the 2022 state election. In the meantime, the CDU and the Greens govern in North Rhine-Westphalia. According to the bill, the law is to come into force on April 1, 2024.
In 2022, the then government factions CDU and FDP in the state parliament had launched a funding guideline for the complete abolition of road construction contributions, often in the four- or even five-digit range. This means that residents who are liable to pay contributions will receive 100 percent of their contributions for road construction measures back from the state, compared to 50 percent previously. With around 5000 owners who had received half of the funding since January 2020, NRW. Bank can subsequently increase the subsidy to the full amount.
Now, as promised, the local tax law will be changed - and only then will the road construction contributions be finally abolished. The SPD opposition had always demanded this and complained about the high administrative burden of the funding guideline. Only a complete abolition of the road development contributions would bring relief for cities and municipalities, the Social Democrats had argued.
There had been years of fierce resistance and vigils in front of the state parliament against the contributions. A protest initiative of the Taxpayers' Association had once been signed by more than 437,000 people. Dpa
