Germany's Taxpayers' Association Slams Spiralling Public Investment Costs
The German Taxpayers' Association has released its 2024 Black Book, highlighting questionable public investments and spiralling costs. The report, titled 'Follow-up Costs of Public Investments', sheds light on several projects that have exceeded initial budgets or failed to deliver expected benefits.
One such project is a treetop walkway in Bad Iburg. Built for the State Garden Show, it has incurred losses of at least €6.3 million, even after the event. The Black Book notes that this project was not mentioned in a recent city budget search, raising concerns about transparency.
The report also criticises spending on opera house renovations in Stuttgart and a new opera house in Hamburg's HafenCity. Meanwhile, in Hesse, €223,000 was spent on a custom-designed meeting place in Eschwege, when modular systems were available. In Fuldabrück, another town in Hesse, €7,000 was wasted on a bike lane ending abruptly in front of a traffic island.
The association also expresses concern about the size of Germany's parliament and its costs. Each member of parliament is now entitled to four rooms, up from three, increasing costs. This comes despite recent electoral reform. The Black Book also examines the bankruptcy of Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt, which received €600 million in loans from Germany's KfW bank.
The Taxpayers' Association calls for a review of public investment planning and financing. The 2024 Black Book serves as a reminder of the importance of fiscal responsibility and transparency in public spending. It urges policymakers to learn from these costly mistakes and ensure that future projects deliver value for money.
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