As of: February 10, 2024, 11:59 a.m
By: Magnus Reitinger
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In order to be able to finance its expenses, the city of Weilheim is increasing the dog tax and the business tax rate.
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Traders and dog owners in Weilheim will now have to pay more: the city council has decided by a large majority to increase the corresponding tax rates.
There was criticism from business - to which the city council responded with an additional resolution.
Weilheim
– It is a “solidarity contribution,” it was said several times on Thursday evening in the city council debate about the assessment rate for trade tax.
In Weilheim this is now being raised from 380 to 400 percentage points – twelve years after the last increase.
The city budget for 2024, which the committee decided at the same meeting, could not be represented in any other way, explained treasurer Christoph Scharf: “Savings have been made in terms of expenditure, which is justifiable”, but there is also a “structural improvement”. Revenue side necessary.
With the new increases, a limit has probably been reached for the time being, as Scharf added: “It won’t be possible to do much more.”
Without a tax increase there is no budget that can be approved
The city expects additional revenue of around 780,000 euros this year due to the higher trade tax rate.
They were necessary, it was said, in order to be able to present a budget that could be approved.
The city treasurer admitted that the increase represented “a burden” for some companies.
But partnerships - their share of trade tax revenue in Weilheim is currently around 50 percent - could deduct the trade tax paid from their income tax, emphasized Scharf.
The latter has been in effect since 2020 up to a rate of 400 percentage points, which is why this was chosen, according to the treasurer.
Mayor Markus Loth (BfW) pointed out that many municipalities are currently in the process of increasing their trade tax rate to 400, including the Murnau market.
In Penzberg there is currently discussion about increasing the number from 330 to 360 or 380 points.
We are encouraged to tweak all sources of income a bit.
Mayor Markus Loth (BfW)
Criticism from the economy
Business representatives in Weilheim criticized the planned tax increase in the run-up to the meeting.
CSU parliamentary group spokeswoman Marion Lunz-Schmieder said she understands their criticism, but they are dependent on this “solidarity contribution from traders”.
BfW spokeswoman Brigitte Holeczek also appealed for understanding: The increase in the assessment rate is “really a dig into the toolbox,” but the necessity is beyond question.
Brigitte Gronau (Greens) emphasized that she does not believe that this will create a locational disadvantage for Weilheim: After all, the district town has numerous locational advantages, from the many schools in the area to its proximity to Munich.
The main focus of discussion in the city council was the trade association's demand to limit the increase to two years.
Several CSU representatives called for this to be included.
The higher assessment rate should “not be automatic,” said Lunz-Schmieder.
It's also about sending a signal to the economy that we understand their concerns, said Stefan Zirngibl, who owns a craft business himself.
In 2026 we will see whether the increased assessment rate is still necessary
Loth considered the limit to be unnecessary: as part of the budget, income would be checked every year anyway.
The tax rates are in the hands of the city council year after year, added treasurer Scharf.
Nevertheless, the committee decided by 18 votes to 10 in favor of an explicit audit note: in 2026 it will be checked whether the increased assessment rate is still necessary.
The increase to 400 percentage points was decided with 24 votes to 4;
Alexandra Bertl, Klaus Gast (both CSU), Rüdiger Imgart (AfD) and Ullrich Klinkicht (WM Miteinander) voted against it.
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Tax for the first dog increases from 60 to 100 euros
The dog tax will also be increased: for the first dog from 60 to 100 euros, for each additional dog from 100 to 200 euros (we reported).
According to official figures, 895 people from Weilheim are currently affected, who keep a total of 977 dogs.
This means the city has additional income of almost 44,000 euros per year.
Raising it to 100 euros seems like a lot, said Chamberlain Scharf;
but here too the last increase was at least twelve years ago.
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Klinkicht suggested increasing the dog tax by only 20 euros and at the same time “reducing the monthly remuneration for city council members from 150 to 100 euros”.
Mayor Loth countered that this was “populist” and “not to be taken seriously,” especially since it would require a change in the statutes.
Romana Asam (Free Voters) advocated “giving priority to the social aspect” in view of the not very high additional income: For many older people, the dog is “the only companion”, the animal protects against loneliness and keeps them fit.
That's why pensioners should be exempt from dog tax.
“Pensioner doesn’t mean that someone has no money,” replied Loth: Anyone who can afford a dog can usually also afford the dog tax.
Ultimately, four council members voted against the higher dog tax: in addition to Asam and Klinkicht, Imgart and Gast.
The increase was “not related to any changes,” explained the latter, which is why he rejected it.