The Main and Finance Committee of the Starnberg City Council concluded discussions on the budget for the current year on Monday evening. After numerous rounds of savings, 2.7 million euros were still missing in the end, but this could easily be paid from the reserves.
Starnberg
– The city of Starnberg’s budget for the current year has not yet been decided. But the discussions have been completed to such an extent that the city council can pass the resolution at its meeting on April 29th. On Monday evening, the main and finance committee worked through the final positions. In the end, the bottom line was an investment sum of 2.7 million euros, which has not yet been covered by income, but which can easily be taken from the city's reserves. As of January 1st, these were filled with 11.1 million euros. “Things are looking good this year,” said treasurer Thomas Deller at the beginning of the meeting. “We have already had worse budget plans that we have passed.” At the very beginning of the discussions, the uncovered sum was still around ten million euros.
It was the third round of consultations in the main and finance committee since the beginning of March, plus two city council meetings in February in which far-reaching resolutions on budget consolidation such as fee and tax increases were made (we reported). Thanks to these decided measures, things are looking good for the next few years, said Deller on Monday.
The meeting itself once again discussed numerous positions. Among other things, the committee provided the first 60,000 euros for the construction of the playground in Percha-Nord, 80,000 euros for building construction work at the See train station, 200,000 euros for civil engineering work in the city area and 190,000 euros for the construction of a bus turning point in Leutstetten. Mayor Patrick Janik said he would like to leave the sum in the budget despite a submitted citizen's application in order to be able to act depending on the decision.
Projects remain on schedule due to high funding
50,000 euros are earmarked for planning services for the renovation of Josef-Fischhaber-Straße, 60,000 euros for several crossing aids, 50,000 euros for improving cycling traffic, for example by marking cycle streets, 50,000 euros for planning the reconstruction of the Nepomuk underpass and 275,000 euros for the redesign of the church square. City architect Stephan Weinl warmly recommended not postponing the position until next year, as the entire measure is funded by 90 percent by state authorities because the creation of beds and trees is a climate protection measure. When asked about the schedule, Weinl said: “We can only commission the planner once the funds have been released.”
470,000 euros are earmarked for the further conversion of street lighting to LED, 20,000 euros for a new, barrier-free toilet facility at the See train station, 150,000 euros for a new urn wall at the Söcking cemetery, 224,000 euros for vehicles and equipment at the depot, including one Sand cleaning machine and – to replace the twelve-year-old vehicle – a new flatbed truck. 425,000 euros are earmarked for building and apartment renovations, including further planning for the Bayerischer Hof.
In total, there were several dozen individual positions that the committee and administration went through again on Monday. There has not yet been a final political assessment.
Ludwig Jägerhuber (CSU) praised the administration and spoke of a “great work” that lay behind everyone involved, but also put his finger in the wound. “There can be no such thing as 'business as usual',” he said. The goal must be to add tax and fee increases in the future. “For this we have to get down to business and tighten our belts,” said Jägerhuber. Patrick Janik has already announced that he will present initial proposals for structural changes in the next two months. “We are not at the end of the line yet,” he said.