{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"da.news","provider_url":"https:\/\/da.news\/en\/","title":"\"Without reforms, collapse is imminent\" - da.news","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"1I5IreG6FR\"><a href=\"https:\/\/da.news\/en\/without-reforms-collapse-is-imminent\/\">&quot;Without reforms, collapse is imminent.&quot;<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/da.news\/en\/without-reforms-collapse-is-imminent\/embed\/#?secret=1I5IreG6FR\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#x201C;Without reforms, collapse is imminent&#x201D; &#x2013; da.news\" data-secret=\"1I5IreG6FR\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/da.news\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_width":2560,"thumbnail_height":1707,"description":"The Gro\u00df-Gerau district's New Year's Reception on Financial Policy: The future of municipal finances was the topic of the New Year's reception on financial policy, which the Gro\u00df-Gerau district hosted on Friday, January 17, following a resolution by the district council. The aim was to highlight the precarious financial situation and the resulting difficulties in fulfilling all responsibilities. A good 100 guests from politics and society came to the Georg B\u00fcchner Hall in the district administration building, where they were greeted musically by the \"Duo Tastenstreich,\" who provided musical accompaniment for the event with a thematically appropriate piece. After the welcome address by District Administrator Thomas Will, the discussion got straight to the point: Prof. Dr. Thomas D\u00f6ring (economist and sociologist, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences) \u2013 briefly introduced by the moderator, Christian D\u00f6ring (who happens to share the same name) \u2013 impressively illustrated in his keynote address the dramatic state of municipal budgets nationwide. He used quotes from the presidents of leading municipal associations (\"Municipal finances are in a state of permanent disarray\") and presented data on the overall economic situation, revenues and expenditures, and the financial situation of municipalities. Professor D\u00f6ring's presentation can be found here. The scholar cited several reasons for the predicament, which deprives municipalities of any room for maneuver, including economic downturn, inflation, rising social welfare expenditures, new responsibilities transferred to the municipal level by the federal and state governments, and simultaneously declining allocations (both operating and investment). Regarding the figures projected for the coming years, Professor D\u00f6ring cautioned that everything is based on the assumption of future economic growth. According to the speaker, it is already clear that municipal debt will increase, that necessary investments can only be implemented with delays, and that previously implemented cost-cutting measures will be ineffective. The subsequent discussion made clear what all this means in concrete terms. \"In our district, we have an investment shortfall of one billion euros. As things stand, we need 25 years for implementation. We don't have that kind of time. Something urgently needs to change,\" said the district administrator. Stefan Stein, chairman of the district parents' council, also described the dire situation of schools, \"which are bursting at the seams.\" He emphasized the importance of investing in children's education, because \"this creates a strong economy in the long run.\" Juliane Kuhlmann from Nauheim, president of the Hessian State Sports Federation, added that sports facilities also require renovation. Municipal sports funding is a crucial pillar, she said. If this funding disappears, then \"activities can no longer take place, even though the demand is there.\" Furthermore, the constant lack of resources demotivates volunteers in sports clubs. Nils Kliesing, head of the Gro\u00df-Gerau district craft association, said that tradespeople are receiving fewer orders because both municipalities and private individuals (who are increasingly burdened by taxes, contributions, and fees) have less money available. Furthermore, smaller businesses in particular are burdened by excessive bureaucracy: \"We need structural change in many areas. 'Business as usual and higher taxes' won't achieve anything.\" Lucian Lazar, head of the Gro\u00df-Gerau\/R\u00fcsselsheim regional diaconal service, emphasized that the Gro\u00df-Gerau district has so far succeeded in maintaining social peace. He appealed for the good structures not to be destroyed due to a lack of funds: \"We still need these resources to integrate people into our community.\" So-called voluntary services are \"not just expenditures, but investments in democracy and humanity.\" Christian Suhr, director of the Riedstadt B\u00fcchnerB\u00fchne theater, supported this view regarding the cultural sector. \"Culture reflects a community's self-image,\" he concluded. It is detrimental when different sectors of society are pitted against each other. \u201cWe need to re-examine the question of our fundamental values,\u201d he appealed. Professor D\u00f6ring also sees the financial issue as the crux of democratic responsibility. \u201cWithout reforms, municipalities are threatened with collapse. We must rethink the system, otherwise there will be major problems,\u201d he concluded. He had brought several suggestions: change the unbalanced distribution of expenditure burdens and tax revenues in the overall public budget; improve municipal tax revenue by increasing the share of sales tax from 2 to 6 percent; expand the scope of discretionary taxes; separate the \u201csocial budget\u201d from the rest of the municipal budget; eliminate gaps in the system of cost reimbursement; convert integration assistance into a social security benefit; restructure fiscal equalization (less retrospective, more focused on future needs such as climate protection and adaptation); reduce funding programs in favor of lump-sum, unrestricted allocations; and lower standards. (GROSS-GERAU DISTRICT \u2013 PSKGG) For implementation, science must come into contact with practice. Panel discussion at the New Year's reception on financial policy with (from left) moderator Christian D\u00f6ring, Juliane Kuhlmann, Nils Kliesing, Lucian Lazar, Stefan Stein, Christian Suhr, Prof. Dr. Thomas D\u00f6ring and District Administrator Thomas Will. Photo: District Administration"}