Saxony focuses on expanding and maintaining infrastructure

Saxony's Infrastructure Minister Regina Kraushaar (CDU) sees housing, innovation and the preservation of existing roads and bridges as clear priorities for her department. "We will only remain successful and become even better if we focus on the appeal of innovation," she said in an interview with the German Press Agency. Saxony has made a name for itself as a "land of inventors". It is important to build on this.

More expansion and maintenance instead of new construction

With tight budgets, the focus should be less on new construction and more on expanding and maintaining infrastructure, emphasized Kraushaar. In the case of roads alone, there was a loss of fixed assets of around 540 million euros between 2013 and 2022 - although around 400 million euros were spent on maintenance during this period. This makes it clear that further wear and tear could not be halted in Saxony either. The partial collapse of Dresden's Carola Bridge was an eye-opener.

"Bridge expert Professor Steffen Marx put it like this: There are two ways to use a bridge: Either to keep traffic moving until it has to be closed due to the risk of collapse, or to invest in its maintenance from the outset and thus extend its useful life in a relevant way," said Kraushaar. Private households also conserve their goods. A state should do the same with its infrastructure.

The Swabian housewife as a role model

The minister referred to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who once used the Swabian housewife as a metaphor for frugal budgetary policy. "That means nothing other than that she wants to avert harm to her family by budgeting wisely and doing everything that serves the family." However, the many important facets of the welfare state must always be in proportion to the stability of its foundation, which includes a good infrastructure as well as a strong economy and an intact environment.

According to Kraushaar, her department is also forced to make considerable savings. 625 million euros have been earmarked for its needs over the next two years. Only around a third - 200 million euros - is now expected to be available. Many of these funds have already been committed, particularly in road construction. This is correct, but it restricts the flexibility and possibilities for other important things.

Kraushaar wants a "policy suitable for grandchildren"

The minister believes that a "policy suitable for grandchildren" is necessary. "This means: on the one hand, we must not burden our grandchildren with so much debt, but on the other hand, we must also leave them a proper infrastructure." Because that ensures quality of life in many areas. A good infrastructure is the "network in the background" so that schools, theaters, swimming pools, sports grounds, police and emergency services can function.

According to Kraushaar, voters rightly demand lean structures in state administration from politicians. "People expect us to take a good look at ourselves and stop bloating the public service and creating even more jobs." A decade of constantly rising additional tax revenue was a special situation, he said. "There has only ever been growth in recent years. You could say flippantly: the elevator only went up. But it was foreseeable: That's over now."

New road law to reduce planning costs

As the first legislative project in her department, Kraushaar wants to implement the amendment to the Road Act. As the coalition of CDU and SPD is ten votes short of a majority in the state parliament, they are reliant on the cooperation of the opposition. The main aim of the law is to reduce planning costs. When a road, bridge or wall is renovated, there will no longer have to be a planning approval procedure. According to figures from recent years, this could eliminate at least a third of these procedures.