As of: February 9, 2024, 7:00 p.m
By: Volker Ufertinger
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Split
The Gautinger local council had to spend every cent to get close to an approved budget.
Things are unlikely to get better in the next few years.
© dpa / Boris Roessler
The local council has approved the 2024 budget.
Many clubs have to accept cuts.
The tenor in the council: That hurts.
Gauting
- An administrative budget of 54.5 million euros, an asset budget of 5.5 million euros, a withdrawal from reserves of 3.6 million euros: These are the key data of the 2024 budget that the local council approved on Thursday.
The fact that despite all efforts there remains a deficit of 200,000 euros in the administrative budget means that it is still unclear whether the legal supervision will approve it.
The budget was passed with a vote of 25:4 (Heinz Moser, Dr. Claudia Nothaft and Dr. Michaela Reißfelder-Zessin from the Greens and Tobias McFadden from the Pirates voted against).
The budget planning for 2025 to 2027 was approved with a vote of 23:6, in this case the UBG (Dr. Andreas Albath, Richard Eck) also refused its consent.
In order to set an example, the local council reduced the allowance for the members of the committee.
While previously there was a rate of 20 euros per hour, a flat rate of 60 euros per local council meeting, 40 euros per committee meeting and 20 euros per on-site visit has now been set.
Also read: CSU and Greens discuss the situation in the community
“It was a lot of hard work,” said Mayor Dr.
Brigitte Kössinger.
She recalled that at the beginning of the negotiations there was a “record loss of two million euros”.
For the first time it has become necessary to cut voluntary benefits.
“Local politics is no longer any fun.” She urgently appealed to the volunteers in the clubs not to see this as disrespect.
“We see what they do.
But there was no other way.” She also pointed out that it was once again a key allocation from the Free State (also called Hartz IV for municipalities) that saved the budget.
“Only two district municipalities receive the support, namely Andechs and us.
This is not something to be taken for granted.”
The budget speeches made it clear how difficult the negotiations were - and that it will be even more difficult in the coming years.
CSU
Maximilian Platzer (CSU) wants to generate trade tax as quickly as possible.
© Private
Maximilian Platzer attributed the credit for the fact that the initial deficit could be reduced so significantly to the administration, i.e. the team around treasurer Stefan Hagl.
He expressed his surprise at “how few structural proposals to improve the budget, with a few exceptions, have come from the ranks of the members of the Main and Finance Committee.”
He spoke out emphatically in favor of consolidating the administrative budget.
“Nobody wants to give a string concert in our Bosco cultural center, and we don’t want to go swimming with our outdoor pool either.” It is therefore necessary that the community’s income situation be urgently improved through “consistent commercial development”.
He considered the positive aspects that many voluntary services that “make the community livable and lovable” can continue to be provided.
In addition, further investments will be made in schools and daycare centers (8.5 million euros in the years 2025 to 2027).
Greens
Matthias Ilg (Greens) advocates the establishment of silent businesses.
© Andrea Stölzl
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Dr.
Matthias Ilg referred to the dramatically changed framework conditions.
“In the last year and a half, the European Central Bank has increased interest rates more drastically than ever before in its history.
This inevitably leads to economic difficulties.
This basic principle has obviously been forgotten in the conservative political camp at the moment.” The simultaneous, massive tariff increases would put the municipality’s budget under pressure.
Ilg advocated focusing on the Oberpfaffenhofen special airport when developing commercial areas because: “The obstacles in the lengthy approval process are manifold and the probability of failure is unfortunately high.” Because it will be a long time before trade tax flows (“You "will not save us in the next ten years"), the Königswiesener spoke out in favor of open-space photovoltaics in the municipal area, a second home tax, an increase in parking fees, a real participation of the municipality in wind power and a black zero in forest management.
The Greens also support the Bosco, the youth center, the library, the swimming pool and the island.
“Culture is a location factor, not a cost factor, we should better tap into this value,” he said.
But: “No other option than this painful path was possible.”
Kind regards/Pirates
Tobias McFadden found the consultations suboptimal.
© Private
Tobias McFadden saw the real problem with the federal and state governments: “They must finally ensure adequate and fair financial resources for their municipalities.
This is the only way to create educational equality and comparable living conditions and opportunities for everyone and to counteract the drifting apart of society and the rise of right-wing extremism." Gauting itself isn't doing much wrong and has a presentable school campus, over 1,000 childcare places, a lively club and cultural landscape, Sports life, five fire departments and much more.
He wanted “cross-departmental administration software that not only provides the treasurer’s office, but also the local council with up-to-date insights into the financial situation at any time.”
He also called for public meetings to be held again and wanted an “honest debate”, which is “really feasible” in the next few years.
FDP
Markus Deschler (FDP) sees the abyss getting closer.
© Susie Knoll
Second Mayor Markus Deschler spoke of “predominantly respectful debates in not particularly easy times”.
The 2024 budget has brought us a lot closer to the edge of the financial abyss.
He explained that it made sense for all clubs to make similar savings because: “We can only hope for understanding if we are treated equally.” The FDP believes that it is justifiable to sell “strategically less important properties”.
He urged people to speed up the development of the former Wunderl farm.
MiFü
The Together For Each Other faction is “not happy” about the draft budget.
But she agreed with him because “a budget draft that could not be approved would have destroyed the financing of all voluntary services, with incalculable consequences for coexistence.”
Each individual project was examined to see whether it was necessary, postponed or implemented in a scaled-down form.
“We support the designation of new commercial areas.” No speech was given.
The cause was a misunderstanding between Harald Ruhbaum and Jürgen Sklarek, who was on sick leave.
UBG
Dr.
Andreas Albath (UBG) sees no realistic chance of a balanced budget in the next few years.
© Private
Dr.
Andreas Albath put his finger in the wound again.
“It was not possible to fully balance income and expenses.
The remaining deficit must be offset by dipping into the reserve fund.
Actually, it should be the other way around.” From his point of view, the projects in the financial planning for 2025 to 2027 are in no way secured: It is currently not clear how a halfway realistic budget can be drawn up.
SPD
Dr.
Carola Wenzel saw the basic problem in the many compulsory tasks, from the district levy to childcare.
“We simply have no more leeway at the moment.” The cuts were “born out of necessity”.
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