North Rhine-Westphalia helps Remscheid and Solingen: debt burden falls!

North Rhine-Westphalia helps Remscheid and Solingen: debt burden falls!

In a decisive step towards financial relief, the North Rhine-Westphalia state government has decided to support the heavily indebted cities of Remscheid and Solingen. This step is part of a broader program aimed at significantly reducing the debt burden in the affected municipalities and reducing per capita debt to a maximum of 1,500 euros.

The debts in Solingen are currently extremely high at 5,530 euros per capita and in Remscheid at 6,700 euros per capita. These alarming figures illustrate the urgency of the situation. Through the decision, the state will take over half of the old municipal debts, which means a well-deserved breathing space for the cities affected radiorsg.de reported.

Campaign “For the dignity of our cities”

Both cities are part of the “For the Dignity of Our Cities” campaign alliance. This alliance fundamentally welcomed the government decision, but continued to put its finger in the wound. The members demand that the federal government also contribute to improvements in the municipal financial situation in order to combat the debt problem in the long term. Without long-term support for current spending, the debt misery could quickly repeat itself.

The issue of municipal debt has become increasingly important in Germany. According to information from destatis.de At the end of 2022, Saarland had the highest per capita debt at 6,083 euros. Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate follow with 5,558 euros and 4,682 euros respectively. In contrast, federal states such as Brandenburg and Saxony had the lowest values ​​at 2,534 euros and 2,809 euros. These comparisons clearly show that the problems in Remscheid and Solingen are not unique, but are part of a broader phenomenon.

The extent of municipal debt

The numbers are alarming: at the end of 2022, the total municipal debt in Germany amounted to 313.9 billion euros - that works out to around 4,034 euros per head of the population. This is an increase of 4.3% compared to the beginning of the year. The increases were particularly significant in Hesse and Lower Saxony at 5.7% and 8.3% respectively, which illustrates the need for solutions at the highest level.

For cities trapped in a vicious cycle of debt, state support could be a game-changer. If everyone involved pulls together, there is a good chance that Remscheid and Solingen will not only be able to reduce their debts, but also take the next step towards a positive future. For further information and developments, visit the Action Alliance website at fuerdiewuerde.de.