Outrage in Uelzen: Residents defend themselves against usury in road construction!

Outrage in Uelzen: Residents defend themselves against usury in road construction!

A bitter dispute is raging in the town estate of Uelzen. Residents are upset because the new lanterns installed last year have had painful financial consequences. Loud AZ Online The residents now receive high contribution notices for the replacement of the street lights, which, according to the citizens' initiative, cause unreasonable costs.

Resident Matthias Heuer leads the citizens' initiative, which is now filing a complaint against the city for alleged usury. The residents are demanding access to the construction company's final invoice. They feel like they are being unfairly asked to pay, especially since the installation of 34 ditch bridges, which are billed at 120 euros per piece, results in a total of 4,080 euros plus VAT. The residents report a lack of information about the installation of the ditch bridges and suspect fraudulent intentions.

Backing from administration?

The city of Uelzen and the contracted construction company vehemently reject the allegations. A local construction supervisor and an external engineering office are said to have checked the process. The city sees no reason to doubt the quantities billed and points to a transparent tendering process. But the residents are losing confidence. They feel treated unequally compared to other residents, such as those on Nordallee, who did not have to make similar contributions.

It's a topic that doesn't just affect Uelzen. In Lower Saxony, around 60 percent of the municipalities have to collect road expansion contributions, while in other federal states, such as Bavaria or Hamburg, these contributions have already been abolished. According to a survey, only around 20 percent of the cities in Schleswig-Holstein charge such contributions, and in many cases residents are affected by the high financial burden. NDR reports that residents in the municipality of Marne even have to expect costs between 5,000 and 20,000 euros.

The legal framework

The unequal distribution of burdens when it comes to road development contributions causes conflicts that often end in legal disputes. According to the municipal tax laws (KAG), only certain measures can be used to collect contributions, and the obligation to contribute generally applies to property owners. A legal contribution expert explains that the economic benefits of the measures are often questioned, which leads to uncertainty. anwalt.de offers a comprehensive overview of the legal basis and possible errors when collecting contributions.

The Uelzen citizens' initiative reserves the right to take legal action, including a lawsuit before the administrative court. The dispute over road construction contributions could not only be important for Uelzen, but could also prompt other municipalities to rethink their regulations. Given the growing dissatisfaction among residents, this case could become an example for nationwide discussions about the financing of public infrastructure.