Between Tuttlingen and Trossingen, the matter was clear relatively quickly: If you pay, we’ll pay too, said Trossingen’s mayor Susanne Irion. And that’s exactly what Tuttlingen is doing now. The city will contribute around 4,700 euros to the construction work at the Trossingen schools.
In return, Trossingen will pay around 35,000 euros for the renovation of Tuttlingen’s high schools. A formal decision by the Trossingen municipal council is still pending, but Tuttlingen’s administrative and finance committee unanimously approved the procedure on Monday.
Work on the future all-day building of the Trossingen school center will cost the city millions in the coming years. (Photo: Photo: Michael Hochheuser)
There is a similar agreement between Tuttlingen and Mühlheim, which is also demanding money for the renovation of the secondary school.
Surrounding communities should pay
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The background to the invoices being sent between the municipalities is a ruling by the Mannheim Administrative Court that has caused a stir. If a school has more than 30 percent of out-of-town students, the judges said, the surrounding municipalities from which these students come must contribute to the school renovation costs.
This approach has had a major impact on Tuttlingen. The cost of renovating the two high schools is now approaching 75 million euros. 25 municipalities in the Tuttlingen district are to contribute to the project. Tuttlingen is demanding seven-figure contributions from nine municipalities, including Wurmlingen, Emmingen-Liptingen and Fridingen.
We are in a good position in negotiations, but we have not yet reached our goal.
First Mayor Uwe Keller
How much exactly they have to pay is currently being negotiated. Tuttlingen says it has already reduced the total amount. There is also room for maneuver in terms of the locational advantage that larger cities have over smaller communities. But how high should this advantage be valued?
Everything should be finished in April 2025: While everything has already been completed at the IKG, construction work at the OHG is still in full swing. (Photo: Sabine Krauss)
In order to find a solution, there is a working group with all the municipalities involved. Two meetings have already taken place and another is scheduled for October, said Tuttlingen’s First Mayor Uwe Keller. “We are in a good position with the negotiations, but we have not yet reached our goal.” He hopes to have reached an agreement by the end of the year.
Municipalities hope for understanding from the state
“We want to continue the discussion,” confirms Fridingen’s mayor Stefan Waizenegger. He is still waiting for the invitation to the next negotiation meeting, but he also has another iron in the fire: a possible lawsuit against the state. According to Waizenegger, it is actually the state’s responsibility to ensure the financing of school renovations, for example through school building subsidies.
Together with other communities, he has hired a lawyer to put pressure on the Ministry of Culture. However, a meeting with the ministry has yet to take place.
