Solothurn local council under pressure: financial crisis forces changes!

Solothurn local council under pressure: financial crisis forces changes!

The financial situation of the city of Solothurn is cause for concern. At the last local council meeting, the bill for 2024 was discussed, at which the local council pointed out the strained budget situation. Claudio Hug of the GLP, who will not stand again after this election, cited several unfavorable factors that contribute to the current situation. Last year, the city achieved an income surplus of 6.4 million francs through the release of revaluation reserves. But the high net investments of 28 million francs placed a heavy burden on the city's coffers and led to debt.

The problems identified include a standstill in the local planning review, resulting in a lack of new taxpayers. In addition, investing in the future Weitblick district without immediate returns puts a strain on financial resources. The expensive cleanup of the city's manure and the current policy of tax cuts, which many local councils see as problematic, also contribute to the critical situation. Many projects, such as the redesign of the monastery square and the bandstand, are on hold.

Calls for austerity measures

Hug is urgently calling for austerity measures and a tax increase in order to regain the city's ability to act. His colleague Charlie Schmid from the FDP agrees with the problem analysis, but criticizes the negative assessment of previous tax cuts. Schmid emphasizes the importance of managing finances prudently and emphasizes the need for stable tax revenues. Pascal Walter from the center also calls for the annual financial statements to be presented in view of the municipal assembly's negative future prospects. The local council unanimously followed this call.

These challenges are also reflected at the cantonal level. The Solothurn government council has presented a plan of measures to stabilize the financial budget by 2028. The plan includes 113 measures with a volume of at least 60 million francs. The aim is to sustainably reduce the burden on the canton's income statement and maintain its ability to act in financial policy.

Reactions to the action plan

The canton's financial situation remains tense and there is a structural deterioration in the financial situation until 2028. The government council has set itself the goal of reducing the per capita debt to less than 4,000 francs by 2030, which is considered ambitious due to the forecast deficits. On December 11, 2023, it was decided to develop a package of measures that is divided into four categories: communities, fees, personnel and miscellaneous.

The parties' reactions to the austerity plans are mixed. While the SP Canton of Solothurn criticizes the plans and calls for proposals to increase revenue, the SVP complains that only higher fees are affected and that there is a lack of real savings measures. The FDP, on the other hand, welcomes the desire to save, but sees only a small reduction in the burden compared to the overall expenditure. The Greens are calling for a serious assessment of the measures after the round table discussion. So far there has been no statement from the center party.

For the city of Solothurn and the canton, financial stability is at stake. The coming months will be crucial in order to make necessary adjustments and ensure the ability to act. Further discussions are planned for September 17, 2024, while the cantonal council is expected to discuss the implementation of the measures in December 2024.

In summary, both the city and the canton of Solothurn are facing major financial challenges that require quick and thoughtful action. Solothurn newspaper and So current report in detail about the current situation and the necessary measures.