As of: February 28, 2024, 1:00 p.m
By: Veronika Ahn-Tauchnitz
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“We are getting away with a black eye,” says Deputy District Administrator Thomas Holz (CSU) about the 2024 district budget. © IMAGO
The Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district is unique in Upper Bavaria.
He is the only one to lower the district levy assessment rate this year.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen – The budget speeches are still on the agenda at the March meeting of the district council.
As soon as the district committee has decided on the figures, the masses are in principle sung.
On Monday the time had come.
This makes it clear: Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen will be the only district in Upper Bavaria this year to lower the assessment rate for the district levy.
The assessment rate is reduced, but many municipalities still pay more
Well, the reduction is small at 0.29 percentage points to 50.25 percent - but important for the cities and communities.
Ultimately, the assessment rate determines what proportion of their tax revenue and key allocations they must pass on to the district.
The basis for calculation here is the income from 2022. And because the municipalities' income was quite good, most of them are paying more in the district levy this year despite the lower assessment rate.
The city of Bad Tölz is hit hardest, as it has to pay 1.45 million euros more to the district than last year.
However, it also collected a lot of trade taxes in 2022.
The city of Wolfratshausen and the municipality of Münsing also have to fork out around 1.4 million euros more in the district levy, as district treasurer Ralf Zimmermann explained.
When he presented the figures for the first time at the beginning of December, things looked far less rosy.
The district didn't even have enough left over from its current income to be able to make the repayments due.
Free State helps with higher key allocations
Now things are different.
Zimmermann originally assumed that the district would receive fewer key allocations from the Free State.
“Ultimately, there was a higher allocation.” The Free State also helps with the citizen’s allowance that is paid out to Ukraine refugees.
Here he takes over the Delta, which would actually remain with the district after the federal reimbursements.
“For the rest of the citizens’ benefit recipients, we only get almost 70 percent reimbursed,” said Zimmermann.
DTK debacle finally settled: 2.3 million flow back to Kreis
Flintcenter GmbH has finally been wound up.
With the dissolution of the DTK's successor company, which was responsible for the million-dollar debacle during the conversion of the Tölzer Kaserne, the remaining equity capital of 2.3 million euros will flow back to the district.
The specialist committees, which were less generous than in previous years, also helped.
The youth committee stood firm in increasing subsidies, the building committee canceled all less urgent maintenance measures on district-owned properties.
Fewer loans, less withdrawal from reserves
In the end, the financial resources are so good that fewer loans have to be taken out than planned and fewer reserves have to be withdrawn.
Speaking of reserves: Zimmermann expects that there will be budget leftovers of three to four million from 2023.
“They will also go into the reserves,” he announced.
This is good for the district because there will also be high investments in the next three years.
But you will now be able to shoulder this with less borrowing.
As a result, the new debt curve is becoming “significantly flatter,” said Zimmermann.
Instead of the feared 50 to 60 million in debt, we are now heading for 43.7 million.
CSU agrees, but still rejects the staffing plan
“We are coming away with a black eye,” said Deputy District Administrator Thomas Holz (CSU), who chaired the meeting.
It is good that you create a cushion by building up your reserves.
“Things are looking bleak for 2025.” Green party leader Klaus Koch also fears a deterioration.
Because while the district is liquidating its own reserves to finance its tasks this year, next year it will not be able to avoid asking the districts to pay more through the levy.
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The Free Voters “take positive note of the positive development,” said parliamentary group leader Hubert Oberhauser.
“We could agree to the budget.” CSU parliamentary group leader Martin Bachhuber also announced this – even if his parliamentary group rejected the staffing plan because of the job increase.
Barbara Schwendner (Greens) remained skeptical.
Of course, the result for this year is pleasing, “but the overall development should worry us.”
You have to ask yourself whether you can afford to lower the district levy assessment rate.
In the end, she was the only one who rejected the budget.
The budget will be finally decided at the district council meeting on March 18th.
District budget 2024
Essential income:
District levy 92.1 million euros (2023 estimate: 86.6 million)
Key allocation: 24.5 million euros (23.8 million)
Real estate transfer tax: 3.5 million euros (4.6 million)
Investment allocations: 8 million euros (8.2 million)
Fees/warnings: 4.1 million euros (4.1 million)
Withdrawal from reserves: 4.3 million euros (5 million)
Borrowing: 5 million euros (6.5 million)
Essential expenses:
District levy: 40.3 million euros (37.7 million)
Individual product costs
(such as public transport, social/youth welfare,
ALG II, building maintenance: 49.2 million euros (47 million)
Investments: 19.3 million euros (21.9 million)
Personnel costs: 26.5 million euros (24.2 million)
Loan repayment: 3 million euros (3.1 million)
Replacement/new purchases: 2 million euros (2 million)
advance. Debt level
at the end of 2024: 30.7 million euros
advance. Reserve balance
at the end of 2024: 7 - 8 million euros