Rieder budget finally decided: “I heard this stone fall”

It took three attempts to get a majority decision for the 2024 budget for the municipality of Ried. The estimate for this year was approved by the Ried local council on Thursday evening. “All good things come in threes,” said Mayor Bernhard Zwielehner (ÖVP). Unlike the first two attempts, the SPÖ and FPÖ Greens approved the application for a profit distribution of 1.7 million euros from the city’s own Energie Ried on Thursday evening. This is necessary in order to bring together a balanced budget in the financially tense situation. As reported in detail, a drastic savings package was already decided in a special local council on February 29th.

When asked why his party would agree to the budget this time, SPÖ Vice Mayor Peter Stummer responded to OÖN’s request shortly before the start of the meeting: “The demand of the SPÖ and FPÖ was that there should be movement in the discussion about financial equalization with the state and federal government must come. From our perspective, this is what has happened in the past few weeks. In addition, there will be, among other things, a special budget for clubs, and Christmas allowance for financially weaker people will now be included in the budget.”

I asked Energie Ried. The withdrawal of profits does not endanger the company. It is also very important that energy prices are not affected,” said FPÖ Vice Mayor Thomas Dim, who highlighted the good work of Energie Ried. “We agree, but it is an absolute austerity budget. “I hope for further negotiations with the federal and state governments,” said Dim. “A budget is always good when it is decided unanimously,” said Green City Councilor Lukas Oberwagner.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped. In the future, the focus should be on the commonality again,” said city boss Zwielehner before the vote. The 2024 budget was subsequently approved unanimously. “I think you heard the stone fall for me now,” said Zwielehner, visibly and audibly relieved.