Lübeck's finances in chaos: deficits and budget freezes are alarming!

Lübeck's finances in chaos: deficits and budget freezes are alarming!

The Hanseatic city of Lübeck is facing a financial challenge that has reached a low point in the last few years of its budget. As the Lübecker Nachrichten reports, city officials decided to block the budget for 2024 after previously benefiting from significant surpluses. A deficit of 99.5 million euros is forecast for the coming year, which must be supplemented by a number of measures in order to still be able to carry out important infrastructural projects. Fortunately, the income from trade tax is better than expected, resulting in the deficit for 2024 being reduced to “only” 19.5 million euros. Ten million euros more in allocations to the Deutschlandticket for local public transport will also flow into the city's coffers.

Planned expenses and savings

Despite the tense financial situation, it is stated that 21 million euros are planned for the renovation and construction of roads, sidewalks and cycle paths. In addition, 14.5 million euros are to be invested in school projects, while at the same time the costs of legal obligations, especially youth welfare, are increasing. These necessary expenses will exceed 55 million euros in 2025.

On the other hand, numerous planned projects are being put on the back burner, including the renewal of Travemünder Allee and a number of necessary positions in the municipal public order service. An example of savings is the cancellation of the planned St. Lorenz neighborhood park, which was postponed to 2026 due to financial pressure. The increase in property taxes and fees for street cleaning and winter service by more than 30 percent will also be part of the city's new financial reality, as reports from the Lübecker Nachrichten show.

In addition to these municipal developments, there are also notable results from the world of EuroMillions, in which numerous participants from Lübeck and the surrounding area are interested. The most and least frequently drawn numbers, as well as statistics since the first draw in 2004, show that the EuroMillions lottery remains a popular game, even if these numbers are not directly linked to Lübeck's financial woes. The latest draw has certainly caused some thoughtful players to rethink their strategies for future bets, such as euro-millions.com documented in detail.