LH invites to talks

Province now tackles the problem of municipal finances

The Linz provincial parliament is discussing how the municipalities in Upper Austria can be relieved financially.

(Bild: fotokerschi.at)

The tight budgets of many municipalities in Upper Austria are now the subject of working discussions to which Governor Thomas Stelzer has invited the relevant speakers. Pressure has recently come mainly from the SPÖ, whose chairman Michael Lindner describes the situation as worrying. 

The red state councillor Michael Lindner is convinced that his criticism of the finances has changed the mind of the Upper Austrian state governor. Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) recently invited his party colleague and local councillor Michaela Langer-Weninger and Lindner, who is responsible for the SPÖ municipalities, to a meeting. It was officially agreed not to disclose the contents of the meeting. However, the regional leader's office said: "Yes, there has been an initial meeting and more will follow. The first thing we need to do now is put the facts on the table."

129 municipalities in Upper Austria in hardship compensation
For Lindner, these have long been clear: "The financial situation of the cities and municipalities in Upper Austria is overwhelming." He is referring to the fact that 129 municipalities in Upper Austria are in hardship compensation - and to a nationwide credit rating ranking by the Center for Administrative Research. This shows that only four municipalities from Upper Austria are among the top 100.

Governor Thomas Stelzer welcomed SPÖ Provincial Councillor Michael Lindner (left) to the government in 2022, since when he has had a major critic when it comes to municipal finances.

(Bild: Dostal Harald/© Harald Dostal / 2022)

"Expansion of childcare in rural areas is inadequate"
"In comparison, for example, 36 municipalities from Lower Austria, 15 from Salzburg and 14 from Styria are on this list of municipalities with the highest credit ratings." The SPÖ provincial councillor also sees this as confirmation of his assumption that the number of municipalities leaving is doubling. "What comes across in dry figures means tangible disadvantages in people's lives," the Provincial Councillor cites three examples: "The expansion of childcare in rural areas is inadequate, and school refurbishments also have to be put on hold. Municipalities also have difficulties financing their outdoor swimming pools."

Incidentally, the financially strong municipalities in the ranking are Sattledt, Wolfern, Helpfau-Uttendorf and Ohlsdorf.