Politics in brief

Transparent party coffers, more measures on the Fernpass

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

The financial management of political groups in Innsbruck must be disclosed in future. Meanwhile, the Transitforum Tirol is not letting up on the Fernpass shortly before the winter season.

For the first time in history, all political groups in Innsbruck's municipal council must disclose what they use the city's funding for. Incidentally, this amounts to 689,700 euros for 2024. In 2019, it was still EUR 880,800 (in 2020, it was reduced to this amount). Divided by 40 municipal councillors, this results in 17,242.50 euros for each. The YES list, for example, then receives this sum multiplied by eight, because that is how many councillors it has. 90 percent of the party funding goes to the parties as election advertising costs and 10 percent goes to the municipal council groups as general party funding.

In addition to the party funding, there is also the reimbursement of personnel costs. Clubs with up to five municipal councillors receive a reimbursement of personnel costs of up to one FTE (full-time equivalent) of a municipal employee. Clubs with more than five municipal councillors receive reimbursement of personnel costs of 1.5 FTEs. In contrast to party funding, the budget here has increased. Whereas in 2019 it was 220,000 euros, this year it is already 401,700 euros.

We have agreed in the coalition that we want to introduce comprehensive transparency provisions with regard to party funding.

Dejan Lukovic (Grüne)

The municipal council will now draw up transparency rules for party funding - this was decided at the last municipal council meeting. "We have agreed in the coalition that we want to introduce comprehensive transparency regulations with regard to party funding," explains club chairman and finance committee chairman Dejan Lukovic (Greens). "It will be a transparency milestone for Innsbruck that we will review and disclose the financial management of political parties in such detail."

(Bild: Peter Freiberger, Krone KREATIV)

Keeping traffic flowing on the Fernpass
Meanwhile, the Transit Forum Austria-Tyrol is fighting for traffic calming on the Fernpass by means of a community letter. With the winter season just around the corner, it is all the more important to ensure that traffic flows smoothly now.

On Friday, the municipalities in the districts of Reutte, Imst and Landeck were therefore asked for their support. The Transit Forum is calling for an evaluation and revision of the 7.5t limit. Furthermore, a more efficient programming of the metering traffic lights, a coherent overall traffic concept for the districts concerned and the disclosure of all written and verbal commitments, which have been kept under lock and key to this day without any justification as a basis for voting for the Biberwier municipal council and as a "so-called basis for negotiations in Nassereith".