Reform Partnership: NEOS for Municipal Mergers

In light of financial constraints in the municipalities, more options for action should be created without introducing new taxes, emphasized NEOS representatives Gertraud Auinger-Oberzaucher and Birgit Obermüller.

NEOS Want to Merge Small and Very Small Municipalities

The municipalities are now in such severe financial difficulties that these are already being directly felt by the population, summarized Auinger-Oberzaucher, for example, with a view to less heated swimming pools at a press conference in Innsbruck. More and more municipalities are no longer able to manage with their revenues. Now, appropriate reforms are needed because: "No one wants to continue as before." Regarding the coalition partners in the federal government, ÖVP and SPÖ, the NEOS National Council member saw both problem awareness and willingness to act upon inquiry.

The NEOS want to enter the recently initiated reform partnership process with several proposals. For instance, a detected "competence confusion" must be eliminated and also appropriately considered in the financial equalization. Municipalities must focus on their "core tasks." Municipalities outside the metropolitan areas should also be strengthened. It is important for the NEOS to rethink the structures first before considering tax increases or new taxes, emphasized Auinger-Oberzaucher.

Focus on Merging Smaller Municipalities Following the Bavarian Model

Following the Bavarian model, the NEOS also want to promote the merger of smaller and very small municipalities. However, this must be based on "voluntariness," emphasized NEOS club chairwoman Obermüller: "We do not want to take away the identity of the municipalities." Nevertheless, this could create financial leeway, Obermüller noted, referring to the recent municipal merger in the Tyrolean Wipptal of Matrei, Mühlbachl, and Pfons to Matrei am Brenner. In this regard, they want to raise awareness and provide impetus. After all, there are still municipalities in Tyrol with fewer than 100 inhabitants.

A competence shift of the entire elementary education - including responsibility for personnel - from the municipalities to the state, as demanded by the NEOS in Tyrol, would also relieve the municipalities. However, this was not intended to be understood as a general proposal for all federal states upon inquiry. Meanwhile, the pink state parliament member sharply criticized the financial situation of the municipalities and the mayors. They had "spent money with both hands," "built and created monuments." The precarious situation is by no means solely due to the COVID-19 pandemic or financial flows, said the potential successor to state spokesperson Dominik Oberhofer. He had left the state parliament and moved to the National Council.

Administrative Reform to Be Completed in One and a Half Years

The federal government, states, and municipalities want to take 18 months to bring about a major administrative reform. This was announced by Salzburg's governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) after a conference of state governors, which was also attended by the leaders of the federal government, the municipal and city associations, in June. The focus will be on the areas of health, education, and energy, as well as on competence clarifications and administrative simplifications. Formally, a "reform partnership" was agreed upon, jointly supported by the federal government, states, municipalities, and cities - for the first time in this form, as Haslauer emphasized.

(APA/Red)

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