35 million euros in support: communities demand sustainable reforms!

35 million euros in support: communities demand sustainable reforms!

In Neunkirchen the pressure on the communities is increasing. Mag.a Sylvia Kögler, Vice President of the Lower Austria GVV and district chairwoman, has now welcomed a new support package from the state of Lower Austria worth 35 million euros. Loud meinkreis.at This package was largely negotiated by the SPÖ and aims to provide urgently needed funds for the municipalities.

Kögler emphasizes the importance of securing the ongoing operations of communities, while at the same time warning of the danger of relying only on this one-off support. “We need fundamental reforms of municipal financing,” said Kögler. The need is also highlighted by the decline in investment, which is affecting the quality of life in communities and weakening the regional economy.

Significant support package with challenges

The support package was presented jointly by State Councilor Ludwig Schleritzko and State Councilor Sven Hergovich in the country house in St. Pölten. It not only serves to provide short-term relief, but also to support important municipal investments. On the international stage, it will be important that the disbursement of the package takes place in several tranches: the first tranche of 7 million euros will be transferred in October 2023, followed by another 14 million euros in the next two years, as noe.gv.at reported.

Kögler also points out the challenges in childcare, care and infrastructure and emphasizes that equal opportunities must be guaranteed for all children, regardless of where they live. The President of the Austrian Association of Municipalities, Johannes Pressl, also emphasizes the urgency of reforms in the health and care sector.

Long-term prospects for communities

This support is just one part of a larger plan; The negotiations on financial equalization were concluded in the autumn and from 2028 around 2.4 billion euros more will flow from the federal government to the states and municipalities. In addition, an amount of 1.1 billion euros will be made available from the future fund in June to strengthen areas such as childcare and health. According to the information from the Federal Ministry of Finance Measures are also planned to promote the digital transformation of communities and improve energy efficiency.

“We have to do more to sustainably improve the financial situation of the communities,” demands Kögler and appeals to federal and state decision-makers. The challenges facing municipal financing should not be underestimated. A well-thought-out overall concept is necessary to not only provide short-term relief, but also to find long-term solutions.

Overall, it is clear that communities rely on external support to get out of their financial situation. The colorful mix of funding and reforms could make the crucial difference – for the quality of life and economic stability in the region.