As of: February 8, 2024, 10:00 a.m
By: Armin Forster
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Those responsible for the municipality of Langenbach were able to sit back and relax during the presentation of the 2024 budget. The municipality is on solid financial footing.
© Forster
While other municipalities turn every cent twice, Langenbach is quite relaxed about its municipal budget.
The local economy in particular contributes to this.
Langenbach
– Elsewhere in the district these days, the mere thought of the municipal budget causes a stomach ache.
In Langenbach, however, there is no need to agonize: On Tuesday, the municipality approved its budget for 2024, which attests to a solid status and allows for optimism.
In view of the challenges of previous years, one sentence from Mayor Susanne Hoyer was particularly noteworthy: “We survived the Corona crisis unscathed, so to speak.” One can really look very positively today, Langenbach is “still very strong”.
In terms of tax capacity, it ranks sixth best in the entire district
How this happens was explained to the local council by treasurer Franz Schranner.
In total, the current annual budget has a volume of 21.63 million euros, which is just below the previous year's value.
When it comes to tax capacity – the benchmark for assessing economic performance – Langenbach ranks sixth in the entire district.
According to Schranner, the largest source of income is now the trade tax, which has overtaken the income tax.
“2023 was extreme, we had a record for trade tax.” In addition to many other companies whose profits had increased, a newly established company in the sustainability sector played a major role in this.
Thanks to brilliant business, hefty taxes were due there.
When the money came in shortly before Christmas, things got strange, as the treasurer said with amusement: “We had problems with the direct debit for a while because our bank didn't cash it at all.
Our limit was too low.
This has never happened to us before.” The exact company and the specific amount are secret for tax reasons.
But the FT found out: Langenbach's deposit limit was previously one million euros.
Enormous reserves have been created - no new debts planned
Thanks to the large amount of income, reserves of over seven million euros were created, from which we are now benefiting, says Schranner.
Further good news: Despite planned investment measures of 6.9 million euros, no new debt will be needed in 2024.
At the same time, further liabilities (as of the beginning of the year: 4.1 million euros) could be repaid.
Schranner: “The debts will certainly increase again in the future, but Langenbach is growing, and the debts may also increase with the residents.” As in recent years, there is no need for action to increase the tax rates.
Road construction measures are at the top of the list of investments: for example, upgrading the infrastructure under the FS13, the asphalt of which is being renovated by the district.
The work on Kirchstrasse in Oberhummel including the village square is also worth money.
Another big chunk goes into renovating the wastewater disposal system.
Susanne Hoyer says: “Even if you don’t see it, a lot of money has been buried there for years.” For Langenbach: “We are renovating our way through the village.
From the sewage treatment plant to the kindergartens to the streets, and we leave no areas behind.
The citizens notice that, and that is why we have very positive prospects.” The decision was also positive: the budget was approved unanimously.