Financial crisis in the Rheingau-Taunus district: alarm bells ring until 2028!

Financial crisis in the Rheingau-Taunus district: alarm bells ring until 2028!

The financial situation of the Rheingau-Taunus district has increasingly deteriorated, which is also reflected in the approval of the budget for 2025. The municipal supervision rates the performance of the district as "significantly restricted". With an increase in the circular by 1.5 percent to 33.3 points, the municipalities have to expect a significant increase in income. However, the reserves are available for 2025, but not for the years until 2028.

The local authority has already directed an urgent reminder to the district council in order to strive for a permanent budget equalization. It sees an "extremely questionable" financial development because the Rheingau-Taunus district is unable to finance debt service and payment obligations to the Hessenkasse. The per capita debt is expected to increase to 1,031 euros by 2028, which reinforces the concerns about future affordability.

financial challenges and structures

A total of a foreseeable debt of 16.5 million euros in 2025 and 43 million euros will be assumed to 2028. The minimum liquidity must be reached at 7.6 million euros, but the gap is currently 3.4 million euros. In addition, cash loans of up to 80 million euros are necessary, which underlines the precarious development of municipal finances.

The municipal supervision has granted the approval of an installment break for the district and only approves loans for projects that have already been started if net new debt is avoided. District Administrator Sandro Zehner emphasizes the structural underfunding of the districts and municipalities, while the high costs for all -day care at primary schools, which are estimated at 36 million euros, are additional - only 6.4 million euros are reimbursed.

budget planning and structure

The orderly finance is the basis for the functional administration in the Rheingau-Taunus district. The main task of the financial and invoice system includes the establishment of the budget as well as the execution of household economy. The district's budget volume exceeds 300 million euros, supported by more than 20,000 booking cases per year.

The recommendations of the local authority also include personnel reduction and a job locking to stabilize the financial situation. At the same time, it is suggested to check the voluntary services that make up less than 1 % of the total household. The need for major assignments from the federal government to financial relief is also emphasized, since new federal laws are placed higher demands on the use of local funds.

The approval of the budget is seen by many viewers as a “temporary game”, since sustainable relief for financial burdens is not in sight. The reporting of FAZ.net shows that specific measures to end the municipal underfunding by the covenant urgently become.

In this context, it is necessary to make the financial planning transparent so that the citizens of the Rheingau-Taunus district receive access to information about the budget and the annual financial statements, as explained on rheingau-taunus.de . A balanced budget and compliance with financial obligations remain central challenges for the future of the district.

Details
OrtRheingau-Taunus-Kreis, Deutschland
Quellen

Kommentare (0)