Budget of the Rheingau-Taunus district: deficits rise to record levels!

Budget of the Rheingau-Taunus district: deficits rise to record levels!

In the Rheingau-Taunus district, the financial situation looks anything but rosy. District Administrator Sandro Zehner (CDU) presented the budget for 2026 to the district council, and the numbers are alarming. With expenditure totaling 514 million euros, a deficit of almost 34 million euros is expected. A comparable deficit of 34 million euros is also expected for 2027, with losses in 2028 and 2029 likely to rise to around 39 million euros, as shown FAZ reported.

The causes of this deficit are complex. The cash loans, which were replaced by the Hessenkasse state program, are expected to reach 74 million euros again by the end of 2026. The district has structural challenges that lead to a deficit of around 150 million euros. High costs for social services and the increasing pressure on child, youth and family welfare are putting additional strain on the budget. In this unfortunate situation, the district will have to raise 126 million euros from its own resources in the coming year in order to carry out the tasks assigned to it by the federal government.

Rising costs and falling subsidies

The situation is further exacerbated by the high expenditure on local transport. The district is currently paying around 16 million euros in subsidies for public transport, including 12 million euros for school transport. The desired switch to emission-free bus transport by 2030 requires investments in the hundreds of millions. At the same time, organizing local transport is becoming more and more expensive, without an adequate increase in subsidies leading to better services in the bus network.

Things get particularly tricky when you take a look at the support from the state of Hesse. The announced special program of 300 million euros is expected to bring the district only a meager 3.8 million euros. Zehner sharply criticizes the state government here: the financial support is simply inadequate. Mayors from the municipalities in the district confirm the tense financial situation, especially with regard to personnel costs in childcare. Many municipalities are forced to increase fees, which ultimately puts a burden on citizens.

Budget in jeopardy

A planned deficit of 30 million euros is reported for 2025, a trend that many Hessian districts are also observing. These persistent deficits could make approving budgets more challenging in the future. If this happens, there is a risk of temporary budget management, which will lead to the cancellation of voluntary services - including grants for food banks or support for trainers in sports clubs.

In view of this challenging situation, the Rheingau-Taunus district wants to keep the district levy stable at 33.3 percent, while the school levy falls by 0.2 points to 24.1 percent. What is certain is that the municipalities' reserves have been used up and an increase in property taxes, which could rise by more than 2,000 points, is viewed as unreasonable.

The coming years will be crucial for the Rheingau-Taunus district. Whether and how those responsible will overcome the financial challenges remains to be seen. Discussions about possible measures, such as an increase in the district levy, are likely to become more intense in the coming period. It is not just the political decision-makers who are required here, but also the citizens who ultimately have to bear the consequences of these budget deliberations.