After the budget of the state of Salzburg, the budget for the city of Salzburg has now also been fixed. For the first time, over 101 million euros will be invested, as announced in a press release today. The plans have already been approved by a majority of the city senate, only the citizens’ list voted against.
The city of Salzburg does not have to take out a loan in 2024
According to Finance Director Alexander Molnar, the city of Salzburg will have more than 800 million euros in disbursements in its financing budget in 2024. Around 94 million will come from liquid assets. Molnar is certain that you won’t have to take out any loans in the coming year either. “The liquid assets will be around 110 million at the beginning of the year,” said the city’s finance director. “At the end of the year, the plan fund balance should be around 16 million euros.”
The city is also in a good position when it comes to debt. By the end of 2024, the debt level is expected to be around 14 million euros – and therefore very little compared to other cities. The year 2023 “developed better than planned,” explains Molnar. Instead of a forecast loss of 30 million euros, an increase in the double-digit million range is expected.
New school buildings, renovations and S-Link planned
But where does the 101 million euros go? According to the city’s announcement, the largest chunk is the over 25 million euros for new school buildings and residential building renovations. 18 million euros are planned for the S-Link, which citizens in the state capital can vote on in November. The city will also contribute 1.5 million euros for the new terminal at the airport.
The sewer, waste and cemetery fees will not be increased in 2024, nor will the rates for the municipal outdoor pools and sports facilities and those for the AYA indoor pool. The 2024 position plan for the city of Salzburg has a total of 3,201 positions – 43 more than in 2022. There are 3,176 positions in the municipality, six in Tourismus Salzburg GmbH and 25 in the Salzburg Museum.
The most important investments in 2024 in detail
27.8 million euros for the city of Salzburg Immobilien GmbH (SIG):
- Schools, kindergartens, after-school care centers 17.8 million euros: renovations/(partial) new construction, e.g. VS/GTS Nonntal, VS/GTS Leopoldskron, MS/GTS Parsch, KGHO Lehen
- Housing 6.6 million euros: Lehener apartment block, renovations of residential and commercial buildings (KgL), general renovation of Glockengasse 10
- Other investments 2.3 million euros: official buildings, e.g. Baroque Museum/Panorama Museum/World Heritage Center, Imhofstöckl
- Fire department 1.1 million euros: expansion of new FFW Liefering building, ongoing renovations, planning general renovation of BFW
18 million euros for the municipal administration:
15.4 million euros for MA 6 construction:
- Canal construction 3.7 million euros
- New vehicles fleet 2.1 million euros
- KgL 1.8 million euros
- Expansion of the Salzburg cycle network (cycle strategy 2025+) 1.8 million euros
- Redesign/renovation of old town squares e.g. Bergstrasse, Waagplatz, Mozartplatz/Kaigasse 1.6 million euros
- Renovation of defensive walls 1.4 million euros
- Road condition assessment and excavations 1 million euros
- Technical systems such as street lighting 1 million euros
- Maintenance of traffic signaling systems, hardware renewal 1 million euros
14.1 million euros for MA 2 Culture, Education and Knowledge:
- Renovation and expansion of festival halls 6.1 million euros
- Museums: Belvedere, Orangerie, Sound of Music 3.1 Mio. euro
- State Theater: Adaptation measures stage and auditorium 2.3 million euros
- Equipping schools and childcare facilities 1.6 million euros
- Philharmonic rehearsal house 1 million euros
3.5 million euros for MA 4 Finance:
- TSG and other Congress building technology/operations 2 million euros
- Airport, terminal project 1.5 million euros
Preuner satisfied with his last budget
“The city is continuing its solid financial policy and tackling all necessary projects,” said Salzburg’s city boss and finance officer Harald Preuner (ÖVP) after the vote in the city senate. It is his last budget, Preuner will no longer stand in the mayoral and municipal council elections on March 10, 2024. The SPÖ remained open until the end as to whether it would agree to the 2024 budget, which it ultimately did after making concessions. The Social Democrats had demanded around 7.5 million euros for active land policy in order to purchase land for affordable housing. To this end, two new positions will be created for vacancy monitoring. “If nothing had happened again with housing, we would not have been able to agree,” said SPÖ club chairman Vincent Pultar after the negotiations. The FPÖ also agreed. “A rejection of the budget would have resulted in the cancellation of all of our demands,” said club chairman Andreas Reindl.
The local council still has to approve the 2024 budget
After the budget has already been approved in the Senate, the final vote in the local council is now pending. The NEOS and the KPÖ Plus announced on Monday evening that they would reject the budget. “The big ones figure out the budget in advance, the little ones look through their fingers,” said NEOS parliamentary group leader Lukas Rößlhuber in a broadcast. Entrepreneurs would not be sufficiently relieved, and free travel for children and young people on school trips would also be missing.
KPÖ local councilor Kay-Michael Dankl also criticizes the latter. In addition, the ÖVP refuses to reduce the “overpriced” sewer fee, explains Dankl in a statement from his party and says: “In view of the recent record surpluses of 61 million euros, this is a shame.”
The citizens’ list also criticized the budget plans: climate issues had to be looked at with a magnifying glass, and not enough money was planned for social challenges.
(Source: SALZBURG24/APA)
2023-11-13 17:29:44
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