Leipzig's mayor calls for better funding for local authorities

Leipzig (dpa/sn) - Leipzig's Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung is calling for more money for cities and municipalities in view of the financial difficulties faced by local authorities. There are more and more tasks for the cities that they can hardly cope with due to insufficient funding, explained the SPD politician. The federal government, federal states and municipalities must come to a "fair cooperation".

The federal government is pushing ahead with major projects such as the transport and energy transition, while the first municipalities are being forced to cut bus and train lines, Jung explained. "How these massive investments are to be financed has hardly been clarified."

More money from sales tax for local authorities

The city boss suggested that local authorities should receive a larger share from sales tax. The cities and municipalities are responsible for around a quarter of all state tasks, but only receive a seventh of the tax revenue. "That doesn't add up," said the Lord Mayor.

The Association of Cities and Towns, of which Jung is Vice President, is sounding the alarm about the financial situation of the municipalities. A snap survey of 100 cities revealed that almost none of them could present a balanced budget. The federal and state governments should no longer give additional tasks to cities that are not fully financed.