Finances - Government factions adopt budget for 2024
Lower Saxony is tackling the coming year with expenditure of around 42.4 billion euros. The state parliament passed the budget for 2024 on Thursday with the votes of the governing SPD and Green parties. The budget is therefore around 0.7 percent higher than this year. The two opposition factions AfD and CDU voted against. Red-Green key points include improvements in teacher pay and housing construction.
According to the Ministry of Finance, a total of around 10.5 billion euros will go to the departments of education, science, research and culture. Around nine billion is earmarked for social benefits. 5.8 billion will go to the local authorities for financial equalization.
Minister President Stephan Weil sees the adopted state budget as a solid starting point. It is a solid budget in turbulent times, said the SPD politician.
What the red-green government wants to tackle
State housing company: The red-green government wants to use this company to provide more affordable housing. The state housing company is to be founded on January 1, 2024 and will receive start-up capital of 100 million euros. According to the Ministry of Construction, under current conditions, this will make it possible to build up a portfolio of around 1,600 state-owned apartments. The majority of the apartments are to be in the socially subsidized segment with prices per square meter between 6 and 7.50 euros. This company is a central component of the red-green coalition agreement.
Teacher pay: "Behind this is equal pay for teachers at schools in Lower Saxony, regardless of the type of school," said Minister President Weil. At the start of the 2024/25 school year, the salary of many teachers is to be increased. A13 is the salary level that grammar school teachers currently receive, but not their colleagues at other schools.
Hospitals: Weil also mentioned investments in hospitals as another key topic. According to the Ministry of Finance, 210 million euros have been earmarked for this in the coming year, with 20 million more per year from 2025 onwards.
But still money for broadband, consumer centers and music schools
What was still prevented: Lower Saxony wants to continue funding the expansion of connections for high-speed Internet with a state contribution after all. The governing SPD and Green parties announced this a few weeks ago. In the summer, Digitization Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) had declared that there was not enough money to continue the support. The Red-Greens also subsequently made more money available for consumer advice centers and music schools.
Criticism from the opposition and trade union
As expected, the two opposition parties AfD and CDU criticized the plans. CDU parliamentary group leader Sebastian Lechner said that the coalition agreement between the SPD and the Greens was based on the motto "standstill in times of uncertainty". At the start of this week's budget consultations, Lechner accused the two government factions of failing to exploit the country's potential. The red-green party was therefore "a death of opportunity for Lower Saxony".
The AfD once again criticized what it sees as a misguided migration and asylum policy. AfD politician Jürgen Pastewsky said that the state government was pursuing policies against the interests of the people.
The service trade union Verdi criticized the fact that too little money was earmarked for daycare centres in the state budget. "The state must finally put more money into daycare centers. This is the only way to counteract the already blatant shortage of skilled workers," said Andrea Wemheuer, Verdi state director.
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- Despite the opposition factions CDU and AfD voting against, the budget for 2024 in Lower Saxony was adopted by the governing SPD and Green parties, focusing on improvements in teacher pay and household construction.
- The SPD politician Stephan Weil, as Minister President, views the adopted state budget as a solid starting point, particularly in turbulent times.
- Education, science, research, and culture will receive around 10.5 billion euros from the budget, according to the Ministry of Finance, while social benefits will be allocated around nine billion euros.
- Under the red-green government's plan, the state housing company will receive start-up capital of 100 million euros on January 1, 2024, aiming to build up a portfolio of around 1,600 state-owned apartments.
- Teacher pay equity is a priority for the red-green government, with a plan to increase salaries of many teachers beginning with the 2024/25 school year, especially for those at schools other than grammar schools.
- The Ministry of Finance has allocated 210 million euros for hospital investments in the coming year and 20 million euros more annually starting in 2025.
- Lower Saxony also plans to continue funding the expansion of high-speed Internet connections with a state contribution and allocating more funds to consumer advice centers and music schools.
- The opposition parties, AfD and CDU, have criticized the red-green government's plans, with CDU parliamentary group leader Sebastian Lechner accusing the governing factions of not sufficiently exploiting Lower Saxony's potential and pursuing policies that go against the interests of the people.
Source: www.stern.de
