The minister rejects the countries
Lindner: No more money for the admission of refugees
10/29/2022, 3:50
Christian Lindner rejects federal states’ requests for more financial aid to accommodate refugees. Instead, it must be ensured that “unregulated migration is slowed down,” he says. When it comes to income taxes, the FDP leader is in favor of adjusting for inflation.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has rejected calls from federal states and local authorities for more money to accommodate the refugees. “A further shift in the burden on the federal government is now reaching its limits,” the politician told media group Funke newspapers. “I see more the task of the federal government to improve the repatriation of people without the right of residence and to slow down unregulated migration.”
The benefits to the “570,000 people who came to us from Ukraine and are covered by basic security are already funded by the federal government,” Lindner explained accordingly. The number of arrivals from other countries is at the same level as in 2014. “At the time, the federal government did not even co-finance this state task. Today it represents a considerable part,” said the finance minister.
Municipalities warn that in many places capacity limits have been reached, they are asking for more help from the federal government. At a federal, state and local refugee summit this month, it was agreed that the federal government would provide 56 more properties to accommodate refugees, which could accommodate 4,000 people. However, the German Association of Cities and Municipalities saw a great need for further discussion after the summit and demanded that the costs incurred be fully covered.
“We need a fare on wheels”
On the subject of income tax, Lindner once again came out in favor of an automatic adjustment of the inflation rate. “If social benefits such as the standard basic safety rate are automatically adjusted for inflation, workers must also receive automatic compensation,” she told media group Funke.
“We need a tariff on the wheels”. Currently, the income tax rate is adjusted for inflation every two years. “It has to be decided politically every time. I would like to change the law so that the tax rate is automatically adjusted to the rate of inflation.”
So far, high inflation without political intervention has led to the so-called cold progression: despite the decline in purchasing power, the same taxes have to be paid, so the related tax burden on citizens is increasing. The government has already launched plans for next year to cushion this effect. To this end, inter alia, the tax-free basic allowance must be increased.
