Finances - NRW state parliament set to pass record budget
The North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament plans to adopt the state budget for 2024 today (from 10.00 a.m.). Despite austerity measures, the CDU and Green government is planning a record budget next year, which will exceed 100 billion euros for the first time. Sharp criticism from the opposition is to be expected in the final budget debate, which will last several hours.
The draft budget for 2024 has a volume of 102.1 billion euros. More than 38 billion euros of this is earmarked for education alone. The country's interest expenditure will increase by 1 billion to 3.8 billion euros compared to 2023. Around 3 billion euros are earmarked for refugees.
Despite the planned record spending, the country has to make savings in many areas. This is due to the sluggish economy, rising interest rates and tax revenues that are 150 million euros lower than planned.
The budget debate in the state parliament is also under the impression of the budget crisis of the traffic light federal government following the budget ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court. NRW Finance Minister Marcus Optendrenk (CDU) had promised a constitutionally compliant budget policy for the most populous federal state.
The debt brake is to be adhered to again in 2024, after the ban on net new borrowing was also suspended several times in NRW due to the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. By December 31 of this year, the credit-financed special fund of five billion euros to deal with the consequences of the war in Ukraine is to end.
The FDP criticizes the fact that the black-green coalition wants to withdraw more than 300 million euros from the pension fund in 2024 and, for the first time, 150 million euros from the state-owned Bau- und Liegenschaftsbetrieb NRW (BLB). The SPD opposition is calling for investment packages worth billions, particularly for schools, daycare centers and hospitals in NRW.
The state parliament is also due to pass the black-green Citizens' Energy Act. In future, residents and local authorities in NRW will be required by law to contribute financially to new wind turbines in their area.
PM Ministry of Finance Supplementary bill for the 2024 budget Plenary agenda
Read also:
- A clan member is punished here
- Traffic lawyer warns: Don't talk to the police!
- Will he be convicted as Jutta's murderer after 37 years?
- He also wanted to kill his cousin
- Due to the compulsion to save, the budget for many areas in North Rhine-Westphalia will require significant reductions, despite the record-breaking budget.
- Critics argue that the Household sector of the budget, which includes expenses for refugees, should be prioritized over investments in education, given the current financial constraints.
- The CDU, in its capacity as the finance minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, has promised a constitutional budget policy, taking into account the budget crisis of the federal government.
- Energy conservation measures are also included in the budget, requiring residents and local authorities in Düsseldorf and other parts of NRW to contribute financially to new wind turbines.
- The proposed budget for Ukraine aid will end by December 31, 2023, while the national budget plans to allocate funds to various sectors, like education and infrastructure, within the State parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Following the criticism from various parties, the North Rhine-Westphalian government must ensure that its budget for education, households, and finances allows for the adequate care of refugees, while also complying with the debt brake and consideration for the energy sector.
Source: www.stern.de
