Tax increase in opposition budget proposals in Gothenburg

The opposition's budget proposals include many initiatives on the welfare. The Left Party, the Environment Party and the Feminist Initiative want to invest 70 million in pre-school where more preschool teachers are included and also a free July month for preschool and leisure.

In elderly care too, they want a higher staffing and want to invest SEK 65 million to hire more nursing staff, among other things. In gender equality, investments will be made of 23 million against men's violence against women, including increased support for women's shelters, student health with staff training to detect domestic violence and destructive masculinity norms.

- I think there is a greater awareness of men's violence against women, especially after metoo. More men are also willing to make these changes, so I think this will be a very good investment going forward, says Stina Svensson (Fi)

The draft budget invests a great deal on the environment and climate. Among other things, you want to invest in car-free Sundays in central Gothenburg.

- It is thus free from private motoring. It is for the Gothenburg citizens to experience the feeling of a city that is not too much noise and exhaust, says Karin Pleijel (MP).

Is that feasible do you think?

- Yes, some investigation has been done so that it can be feasible in Gothenburg, absolutely. We also have good role models in Europe, for example The Hague in the Netherlands.

To finance this, one would like to raise the tax by SEK 0.10. Which means about SEK 100 a month for an average income earner. The rest will be taken from the municipality's reserves, which have been saved together during better economic times.

- The point is not the tax increase, the point is what do we get for it. We are investing in a stronger welfare. We are investing in a more sustainable Gothenburg. I think the Gothenburg citizens are prepared to pay up to an extra 100 a month a month to get a stronger welfare, with more nurses and more preschool teachers, says Daniel Bernmar (V).

Below you can see our reporter Fouad Youcefi gives you three important points in the Alliance's budget.

Play