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fromAnnette Schlegl
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shut down
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Despite record income, the Offenbach district wants to increase the levies that the municipalities have to pay. Above all, spending on youth welfare has risen sharply.
There has never been such a large business tax revenue in the Offenbach district – and yet the draft budget introduced in the district council on Wednesday stipulates that the 13 municipalities belonging to the district will have to pay more surcharges in the coming year. 0.34 percentage points more should help that the district can also finance its public services. Record business tax revenues of 311 million euros flow from the municipalities to the district, but this also means that the state receives less money from the municipal financial equalization scheme (KfA). At the same time, record spending in the social sector ensures that the money will not be enough without an increase in the levy.
Children and youth: Closed schools, overwhelmed parents, existential fears, children crammed into small apartments at home – all of this has led to a dramatic increase in childcare cases in the youth welfare office during the corona pandemic. Social affairs officer and treasurer Carsten Müller (SPD) calls “massive growth of 15 to 20 percent”. The socio-educational family aid recorded 100 more cases within one year, and the integration aid for mentally handicapped children and young people even saw 130 new cases. “Such a case can cost up to a six-figure sum per year,” says Müller. The additional need for help from children, adolescents and young adults causes additional costs of twelve million euros. The district is therefore increasingly active preventive – including with nationwide youth social work at schools.
Social area: The costs for basic security for those able to work (unemployment benefit II) increased sharply in the corona pandemic. More communities of need, higher rental costs and rising energy prices lead to additional costs of 3.7 million euros. There are also more and more people who have a too small pension, are unable to work or are in need and therefore apply for social assistance.
Key data of the state design
For 2022 The treasurer of the Offenbach district reckons with 733.6 million euros in income and expenses.
All things Considered remains in the draft budget an annual surplus of around 14,600 euros.
From land the district receives 59.6 million euros from the municipal financial equalization scheme (KfA) – 17.8 million less than this year. ann
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State Welfare Association: The fee to the State Welfare Association (LWV) rises from 73 to almost 85 million euros – because the association cares for 1,500 more people with disabilities, but also because of the economic strength of the district.
School: The Offenbach district is a region of the future, the population and thus also the number of students is increasing. Therefore new schools have to be built and existing ones extended with interim solutions, for which more than 46 million euros are to be invested. 5.9 million euros are planned to purchase hardware for the digitization of schools.
Staffing: The draft budget for 2022 provides for 149 new positions, which cost around four million euros. 69 of these are planned in the health department, 20 in the school secretariats. The rest will be dedicated to the tasks in the district building, which will grow as the population increases. Personnel for climate protection measures are also planned.
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