Tense Financial State of Ingolstadt City Council
Straight-Up Proposals From the SPD Faction for Ingolstadt's Financial Recovery
Press Release
SPD City Council Faction Unleashes a Plan to Revitalize Ingolstadt's Fiscal health
The city of Ingolstadt faces a daunting financial predicament compared to previous years, and it calls for some tough, noticeable moves that may impact the city's citizens, organizations, businesses, and more.
Quirin Witty, an SPD City Councilor, unambiguously states, "Maintaining the city's services is our top priority in this challenging situation, ensuring Ingolstadt remains a livable, attractive economic hub. Alas, the aspect of increasing revenues without proxy burdening citizens has been insufficiently addressed so far." Consequently, the SPD faction throws six creative suggestions that should be examined by the city administration during the consolidation process:
- Marketing Naming Rights for City Buildings:
Marketing temporary naming rights for municipal buildings or municipal companies is an approach worth considering. rule-bound exceptions, like schools and controversial naming, can be established. This nifty strategy could net additional income and offer firms a platform to showcase their city affection. Similar endeavors were executed by Hannover in 2024. "It's common practice in the sports sector to market naming rights for buildings," clarifies Quirin Witty, referring to the local sports pool as an example.
- Efficient Office Spaces:
The city administration should be proactive in exploring ways to optimize office space usage, creating possible savings of 7-9 million euros annually in personnel costs.
- Strengthened Intermunicipal Cooperation:
The collaboration between cities like Nuremberg, Fürth, Erlangen, and Schwabach, predecessor of the city axis, sets a great example with more than 20 years of synergy unlocking and cost reduction through intensified cooperation, particularly in statistics, human resources management, and traffic monitoring.
- Free State of Bavaria as VGI's Co-owner:
MVV, Munich's Transport and Tariff Association, ensconsed by cities like Munich and Rosenheim, districts, and the Free State of Bavaria, hurls the association above others. Having the Free State invest in the VGI politically strengthens the association and makes it a co-owner, offsetting losses. "Considering the current efforts to incorporate Augsburg into the MVV, the goal should be to win the Free State of Bavaria for the VGI instead," suggests SPD city councilor Witty.
Adjusting Fees Based on Inflation:
"Transparent fee adjustment systems should be the norm, not the exception," asserts Quirin Witty, noting the recent debate about childcare facility fee increases. He proposes that the city adjust fees, rents, etc., in tandem with changes in the consumer price index to secure reliable budget planning.
Introduce "Ingolstadt Bonds" for community-funded projects:
In the consolidation of the municipal budget, community projects are inevitably under the microscope. Bond issuance for investment projects could alleviate the city's financial burden. For instance, if Ingolstadt's approximately 30,000 theater subscribers contributed a bond of 1,000 euros each, interest-free loans to the tune of 30 million euros might be acquired. It's hoped that non-residents would join as well since they enjoy the city's services.
Maintaining a strong economic hub status for the city of Ingolstadt necessitates examining creative solutions, such as marketing temporary naming rights for municipal buildings to generate additional revenue, as suggested by the SPD City Councilor, Quirin Witty. Moreover, the SPD faction recommends reviewing intermunicipal cooperation with cities like Nuremberg, Fürth, Erlangen, and Schwabach to unlock synergies and reduce costs through intensive collaboration.
Quirin Witty also advocates for introducing "Ingolstadt Bonds" for community-funded projects, which could alleviate the city's financial burden by tapping into contributions from residents and non-residents alike. This innovative approach could result in interest-free loans for investment projects, further supporting the city's economic recovery efforts.
