Projected deficit of around €110 million: City wants to use additional time for consolidation measures – adoption planned for February
The city of Darmstadt, a center of science and research, is postponing its deliberations on the 2027 budget. According to the city, the current budget planning indicates a projected deficit of approximately €110 million . The draft budget will therefore not be submitted to the city council until December 15, 2026 , more than a month later than originally planned.
Mayor Hanno Benz and City Treasurer André Schellenberg explain the postponement by stating that, in their assessment, the budget in its current form would not be approvable. The additional time will be used to develop consolidation measures, coordinate them politically, and, if possible, incorporate them into the draft budget.
Farewell ceremony scheduled for February 18th
The other dates are also changing. The budget deliberations in the city council are postponed from October 21 to December 9, 2026. Following its introduction on December 15, the second reading in the main and finance committee is scheduled for February 11, 2027. The third reading and adoption by the city council is to take place on February 18, 2027 .
The budget must then be submitted to the municipal supervisory authority at the Darmstadt Regional Council. According to Schellenberg, despite the postponement, the aim is to achieve approval as early as possible and avoid a prolonged period of provisional budget management.
Investment program limited to 75 million euros
Among the measures already mentioned is the renewed capping of the medium-term investment program at €75 million. Further savings or changes are not yet finalized. Specific consolidation measures are to be prepared for political discussion in the coming weeks. Subsequently, the city council factions will be consulted. Another roundtable discussion on the budget situation is also planned.
Benz also announced plans to further review the personnel and organizational structures of the administration. At the same time, he emphasized that the city should be able to fulfill its legal and necessary obligations.
The city also refers to the federal and state governments
The city cites developments in both revenues and expenditures as the reasons for its strained budget situation. On the revenue side, it points in particular to business and property taxes, while on the expenditure side, it cites rising costs in the transfer and social welfare sectors.
Benz and Schellenberg also criticize what they see as insufficient funding of municipal tasks by the federal and state governments. Schellenberg further cites the revenue-neutral property tax rate of 1,181 points, proposed by the state as part of the 2024 property tax reform, which he believes is too low. These assessments are part of the political position of the mayor and city treasurer and are not independently quantified causes of the overall budget deficit.
According to its own statements, the city intends to develop further consolidation measures of its own, as well as to maintain its demand for stronger funding of municipal tasks by the federal and state governments.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/ho)
