– We miss a bit on the business side. It appears as if the corona crisis is over, says Conservative group leader in Oslo, Anne Haabeth Rygg to Børsen.
She comments on the red-green city council’s budget proposal for Oslo, which was presented on Wednesday.
– Long uphill
There, the Conservatives have noticed what they believe is a slightly more than positive mention of the state of affairs in the budget presentation.
«Compared to 2020, figures from the catering industry for this year’s summer show a growth of almost 50 percent. Museums and attractions may show a growth of more than 20 percent. The accommodation companies have had an occupancy rate of almost 50 per cent. 95 per cent of all hotels were operational and can point to 30 per cent better occupancy than last year “, it is stated in the budget proposal.
However, the City Council is now following up that there is “great uncertainty associated with the development of the tourism industry in the future”, and emphasizes that the sharp fall in the number of guest nights in 2020 “will have major consequences for a long time to come, and require restructuring in the industry”.
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The right is still not impressed.
– They write about a very positive development from 2020, but if you compare with a year when everything is closed, then you expect it to go up. Everything else should be done well, says Rygg.
Thunder: – Too long to wait
She points out that they experience that the players in the tourism industry say that they are still in a very demanding situation.
– Many bring with them costs they have pushed on. Then they have quite a few bills they have had lying around that they have to pay on when they start earning.
– There are many who see a fairly long uphill.
Not satisfied
In the budget proposal, the City Council notes that local and national compensation schemes will have an effect into 2022. Oslo Municipality itself set aside NOK 170 million for a local compensation scheme in 2021.
This is in addition to the fact that they received 138 million from the state scheme for municipalities that were particularly hard hit.
“In 2022, the City Council has set aside 15 million for targeted profiling of Oslo as a sustainable destination,” the City Council writes.
Not good enough, the Conservatives think.
– We are talking about last year’s figures, and it is nice that it has an effect this year as well. But there should be measures for 2022 that are in the budget for 2022, says Rygg.
Criticizes Erna: – Extremely problematic
– Disappointed
However, the Labor Party is not impressed by the criticism from the Conservatives. Business councilor Victoria Marie Evensen (Labor Party) says the crisis is far from over, but believes it is the Conservatives at government level who must take the main responsibility.
– The business community in Oslo itself says that it is VAT, and default interest on state taxes and fees that are the most demanding. Therefore, it is strange that the government has put an end to the compensation schemes and imposes default interest on taxes that the business community has been deferred, and I must say I am disappointed that Oslo Conservatives have not had an impact on their own government in this matter, Evensen told Børsen.
– It is the state that is sitting on the big money, and which should have a plan even now when society is reopened.
Fear the gig bill: – Terribly loud
As Børsen wrote earlier this week, the total tax bill is now Norwegian companies pushes ahead, NOK 4.59 billion. The bill can be paid over twelve installments, and the first invoice is due on 31 October. It is thus a short week after the municipal fees in Oslo fall due.
Many have also been annoyed that the default interest rate there is 8 percent, but so far the government has not given signals that they will lower it, on the contrary, they have rejected it.
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The Oslo Conservatives believe that the city council can do more.
– One can always point out that many can do a lot, but we must also look at what we as a municipality can do to make it easier to start activities, says Rygg.
