Because the city of Offenbach is expected to generate unusually high trade tax revenues this year, it is paradoxically compelled to implement a tough savings program immediately.

Almost all departments and offices are likely to be affected by this.

In addition, there should be almost no new hires in the foreseeable future.

The budgets for road maintenance and for minor repairs in schools and kindergartens could also be cut.

The new city treasurer, Martin Wilhelm (SPD), did not even want to rule out an increase in the property tax B, which the former town hall coalition of the CDU, Greens, FDP and Free Voters had just lowered noticeably on Tuesday.

Markus Schug

Correspondent Rhein-Main-Süd.

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He spoke of a "difficult legacy of the previous majority" and of a "38 million euro hole" to be filled by 2024.

Above all, the online press conference was about the fact that the financially troubled municipality should be deducted more than 15 million euros from the key allocations from the municipal financial equalization scheme (KFS) in the next year - because the Offenbach-based company would have gratifyingly high trade tax income in 2021.

The fact that this is a one-off effect, namely back tax payments from previous years, is left out when calculating the allocations distributed by the state, said Wilhelm.

Local transport as a subsidy operation

It is also unfavorable for the Offenbachers that in Wiesbaden, but also Frankfurt, tax revenues are currently gushing less strongly. But Frankfurt just reported high trade tax revenues. The budgets were underfunded and could only be approved because of the corona situation, said the treasurer who has been responsible since July. In order to achieve balanced budgets with good financial forecasts again in the future, “tough and painful consolidation steps” are necessary.

For the chronically deficit local transport, it was decided in June to cap the deficit at the expense of the municipal utilities. According to Wilhelm, the new majority made up of the SPD, Greens and FDP has also suspended almost all of its planned major investments and new projects as a precautionary measure. The now announced reduction of the KFA funds from the last 206 million euros to only 190 million euros for 2022 is the "worst case". In addition, the city is still not fully reimbursed for expenses that it is obliged to pay under federal and state laws. If, despite all efforts, the bill does not work out in the end, the property tax reduction by 100 to currently 895 points might have to be reversed, is the message from the finance department,even that would only bring about five million euros and would therefore not be enough.