It means persevering, because no relaxation is to be expected before summer, says ÖVP member of the state parliament Anton Erber. “Seldom has a topic as polarized as Corona. People are insecure and afraid – for their health, but many also for their jobs, ”says Erber. This is precisely where good cooperation between the federal government, the federal states, district authorities and municipalities is required.
The communities in particular are important drivers of jobs and the economy. “In the Scheibbs district alone, the 18 municipalities invest 18.2 million euros in projects in normal years, thereby securing 240 jobs,” says the Scheibbs mayor and ÖVP municipality chairman Franz Aigner. This makes the federal government’s second community aid package, which is “heavy” 1.5 million euros, all the more important.
Because the first aid package in 2020 was not the financial injection that many municipalities had hoped for. There was additional co-financing for projects. “Municipalities that have to think twice about investments could hardly get this funding,” says Aigner.
Scheibbs receives almost 470,000 euros
According to Aigner, the money from the new community aid package is a lot easier to collect. This consists of three measures. On the one hand, the income shares will be increased in the interim settlement in March. For Scheibbs this means an additional “free” amount of 132,077 euros.
The second measure is interest-free special advances on the municipalities’ share of the income, the settlement of which should begin in 2023 at the earliest. Aigner hopes that “an even better result will be achieved for the communities”. Scheibbs will receive 336,315 euros from this title.
Scheibbs will not benefit from the third measure, the increase in the structural fund. The main aim of this is to support structurally weak communities.
“It won’t work without new borrowing – regardless of the level. But we have to finance ourselves out of the crisis sensibly, ”emphasizes Erber.
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