Negotiations stall: Wels is threatened with an emergency budget for the first time

With 80 million euros in reserves and only eight million euros in debt, Wels is currently in a better position than ever. Nevertheless, Mayor Andreas Rabl (FP) has not yet been able to negotiate the new budget draft. The opposition is slowing down. SP, VP and the Greens have concluded a syndicate agreement. This means that there is no agreement on the city budget without these three parties.

This is also surprising because there is a majority in the finance committee and the local council. In addition to MFG mandater Jörg Wehofsich, Neos local councilor Walter Zaunmüller also signaled his consent, it is reported. In the city senate (FP 4, SP 2, VP 1, Greens 1) it is four against four. The Freedom Party lacks a majority there.

“Syndicate” makes demands

The “syndicate” recently presented Rabl with a list of demands with 25 points. Specifically, there is a problem with the increase in street workers, which Rabl rejects; he is said to have offered more school social workers as a barter deal. Another point of contention is the reduction in advertisements raised by the opposition. In order to avert this, Rabl was urged to have each individual advertisement approved by the city senate. Cuts in the event budget are also controversial. Here too, more insight and participation are required. In general, Rabl is accused of acting in a non-transparent manner.

On Thursday, the Welser Blauen and the newly founded “Syndikat” will clarify their positions independently of each other. But the signs have long been pointing to a storm.

The city is therefore facing a premiere with an uncertain outcome. For the first time, Wels is threatened with an emergency budget. The mayor has now announced that he will have the impact of the opposition blockade legally examined. However, the statute has no answers for the current case of a stalemate in the city senate despite a majority of votes for the budget.

Rabl criticized before today’s exchange of blows that it is questionable in terms of democratic policy if the minority dictates something to the majority.

With an emergency budget, city politics would only be able to act to a limited extent in 2024. “SP, VP and the Greens are endangering the payment of social aid, sports and cultural funding, heating subsidies, etc.,” Rabl paints blackly – and calls on all three parties to return to the negotiating table.

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