ÖVP counters SPÖ criticism

Red municipalities are on average more indebted

Many municipalities lack the money to invest - in road infrastructure, for example.

(Bild: Spitzbart Wolfgang)

The SPÖ regularly complains that municipalities are being bled dry financially. The ÖVP, to whom the criticism is directed, is now warning the provincial councillor responsible for red municipalities to put his own house in order: The municipalities under his responsibility are on average much more indebted than others. 

As more than half of the 438 municipalities in Upper Austria are expected to slide into the red this year, Michael Lindner from the SPÖ sounded the alarm in mid-February: the system of municipal financing is on the verge of collapse, warned the provincial councillor responsible for municipalities with SPÖ mayors. He called on state governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP) to halve the state levy (currently 150 million euros).

In view of these figures, the question must be allowed as to whether Lindner's constant warning finger should not also apply to himself and whether he should take a closer look at the SPÖ municipalities.

Florian Hiegelsberger, ÖVP-Landesgeschäftsführer

Average debt of 708,000 euros
However, the People's Party is not at all happy with such advice and does not want to be blamed for the municipalities' strained financial situation. Instead, Lindner should take himself to task: At 707,979.17 euros, the average debt of the red hardship equalization municipalities is much higher than in the other municipalities (336,754.24 euros), calculates ÖVP regional managing director Florian Hiegelsberger.  

"Poorly staged class warfare"
However, Lindner does not dispute this fact. He spoke to the Krone newspaper about the 35 million euros he will have to spend this year to balance the budget for "his" municipalities - a five-fold increase compared to 2023. Hiegelsberger considers the fact that he blames the high transfer payments that the municipalities have to make to the state for this to be "badly staged class warfare". He assures: "We will not tire of fighting for a rapid and significant easing of the situation." In addition to a targeted location policy and the resulting increase in revenue, a "redistribution of funds" by the federal government is also needed.