Herne loses 63 million euros – SPD varies its NRW infrastructure plan!

Herne loses 63 million euros – SPD varies its NRW infrastructure plan!

A lot is happening in Cologne, as the discussion surrounding the “North Rhine-Westphalia Plan for Good Infrastructure” is causing a stir. State parliament member Alexander Vogt from the SPD raises clear concerns and sees the city of Herne, which is part of the region, as being let down. According to halloherne.de, the state government does not perceive the plan as sufficient to secure Herne financially. Vogt didn't mince his words: He criticized the fact that the funds available to municipalities largely come from existing funding programs. This means that the flat-rate allocations are below the required 80 percent of the total funds of 21.1 billion euros from the federal special fund.

Herne is in the dark because with only 92.2 million euros the city cannot survive compared to the required 155.6 million euros. That means a serious loss of over 63 million euros. According to Vogt, the state government must finally recognize that there is a great need for investment in Herne. “The cities’ financial freedom of action is severely restricted by this measure,” said the MP. In addition, the state government is keeping more than 8 billion euros of the special fund for itself and describes the injustices found in the distribution of funds as deception.

Major investment program

finanzverwaltung.nrw.de. Of these funds, around 21.3 billion euros, which corresponds to around 68%, will flow into the municipalities, while almost 10 billion euros will be invested in the country's infrastructure. Furthermore, the state government guarantees municipalities the amount of GFG investment allowances, which results in an additional 27.6 billion euros in well-founded investment funds.

The use of these resources is particularly exciting. The focus of the investment program is on daycare centers, schools, transport infrastructure, health care and similar essential areas. A lot of movement is expected, particularly in the area of ​​climate protection, as energy-saving renovations and digitalization are also on the agenda. A further 700 million euros are earmarked for special measures for municipalities that run hospitals or daycare centers.

Financial relief for municipalities

Another highlight of the program is the assumption of 50% of the excessive old municipal debts as of December 31, 2023, which should provide the cities in North Rhine-Westphalia with welcome relief. With this measure, the state government would like to help municipalities better cope with financial challenges and tackle future projects.

The discussion about the distribution of funds remains exciting. While the government has big plans, Vogt's criticism shows how important a fair distribution of financial resources is in order to enable cities like Herne to have a bright future. Particular attention will be paid to how the implementation of these plans will impact the quality of life of local citizens. It remains to be seen whether the plan really works in the long term or whether further adjustments are necessary to ensure the quality of the infrastructure in the long term.

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