Record inflation has long since hit the heart of society, the cost of living is rising and putting more and more people in financial distress. The city of Wels presented a support package on Monday that is intended to relieve low earners, but also the middle class.
During the presentation to the press, Mayor Andreas Rabl (FP) spoke of the “biggest social package that Wels has ever had.” Around 2.3 million euros are available for this. There will be a one-off payment as support. 100 euros for the applicant and 50 euros for each additional person living in the household. The net income limit for a one-person household is 1800 euros and for a multi-person household 2600 euros (see example calculation below). The income limit is increased by 120 euros per child. All Austrian, EU or EEA citizens who have had their main residence in Wels for at least two years are entitled to claim.
Payment via Wels Cards
Payment is made in the form of catfish cards, which can be redeemed in 240 partner businesses. “We want to support people, but also strengthen Wels’ economy,” says City Councilor for Economic Affairs Martin Oberndorfer (VP). This prevents money from migrating, for example to online trading”.
In addition, the parents’ contributions in the childcare facilities and after-school clubs are paid for two months. The family income may not exceed 4000 euros gross per month. “It was particularly important to us to reach as many families as possible. The help should get to where it is most urgently needed,” says Deputy Mayor Christa Raggl-Mühlberger, social affairs officer. She expects around 15,000 to 20,000 people to benefit from the aid.
help for the elderly
There are also grants for people who need mobile support and care. In the long term, the grants for meals on wheels will also be increased to four or five euros per meal (graded according to income, previously 2.67 or 3.77 euros).
Applications can only be submitted to the magistrate next year, probably in January or February, when applications for the state’s heating subsidy are also processed. A form for online submission is also in the works.
The aid will also use the almost 600,000 euros that Wels has made available from the federal government for advertising measures for the corona vaccination. Municipalities are now allowed to use these special funds in other ways. Rabl emphasized that the city could afford the help because management had been good in recent years and Wels was almost debt-free.
Calculation example
A family with two children receives a one-time payment of 250 euros from the city of Wels in the form of Wels Card vouchers up to a net income limit of 2840 euros (income limit: 2600 euros, this limit increases by 120 euros for each child). The family allowance for the two children is not included in the net income.
SPÖ criticizes the package: “They were not included”
Criticism of the support package comes from the Welser SPÖ. “We fear that the bureaucratic hurdles are too high for many of those affected,” says Deputy Mayor Klaus Schinninger. Once again the opposition party complains that it was not involved.
“The mayor’s party decides to provide support in the millions and doesn’t think it’s worth the effort to talk about it with all the parliamentary groups in the municipal council in advance,” says parliamentary group leader Silvia Huber. Mayor Andreas Rabl, on the other hand, said that talks had been held with all parliamentary groups. Schinninger denies this. “He only briefly informed me that there would be a package of around two million euros,” said Schinninger.
The SPÖ also criticizes that clubs are only supported by the city when there are no benefits from the federal government due to the high energy costs.
However, several demands of the SPÖ were taken up, such as the replacement of parental contributions in the children’s educational institutions and all-day schools as well as a replacement of cost contributions in care. In any case, any support for the Welser should be evaluated positively.
“Barred from Help”
The Greens criticize the fact that around 11,000 third-country nationals in Wels are excluded from the aid. No one can understand why people with Romanian citizenship get money, but not the Bosnian nurse, says city councilor Thomas Rammerstorfer. “This is a path of social division and separation that we will not go along with,” explains Rammerstorfer.
Source: Nachrichten
