Vienna Special Municipal Council: "You in the federal government have left us with an unparalleled debt hole"

In the Vienna municipal council, a special session was held on Monday to discuss the recently presented budget measures. The meeting was requested by the Greens. They fear for achievements from the time of the red-green government participation. Back then, the 365-euro annual ticket and the children's minimum security were introduced. The now planned price increases and cuts in family support are causing criticism.

The autumn start in the city parliament was actually scheduled for Tuesday, September 23 - when a state parliament is convened. However, the date for the discussion requested by the Greens was set for the day before. Thus, today's meeting was the first session after the summer break.

Greens: "Reckless and Planless Approach"

Initially, Green leader Peter Kraus had little good to say about the town hall's austerity package. He criticized what he saw as the "reckless and planless approach" of the city government, even though he admitted: "The budgetary situations are not easy." But now the achievements of the city are being destroyed with a sledgehammer, he stated. "This is the wrong way." The 365-euro annual ticket, for example, was a climate-social promise in the city.

He recalled its introduction in 2012. At that time, the ticket revenues of Wiener Linien subsequently increased. Now there is a risk that these will decrease again. Those who rely on public transport would also be affected. Kraus also recalled the "farce" surrounding the free ticket for blind and visually impaired people. The support will now continue after protests.

The approach not only stands for social coldness, but it also shows the planlessness of the city government, said Kraus: "One gets the feeling that no one has thought about it." This also applies to the freezing of district budgets. Steering effects are nowhere to be seen. Green leader Judith Pühringer criticized the cuts in minimum security. "They are cutting from those who already have it hard." There is now fear that the next target could be the free kindergarten.

ÖVP: "We Finally Need Fair Minimum Security in Vienna"

ÖVP club chairman Harald Zierfuß also targeted the price increases at Wiener Linien. The ticket for students, for example, will become 50 percent more expensive, he criticized. Red-Pink is trying to obscure the responsibility for the deficit of almost 4 billion euros and is blaming the previous federal government. This city government governs according to the Pippi Longstocking principle: "I make the world as I like it."

However, he did not share the Greens' criticism of minimum security. On the contrary, the ÖVP believes the cuts do not go far enough. They demand further measures for larger families. "We finally need fair minimum security in Vienna," stated Zierfuß.

FPÖ: "Always said that the budget is getting out of control"

Vienna's FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp echoed the same sentiment. "We have always said that the budget is getting out of control," he emphasized. His recipe for savings: "One could start, for example, with the minimum security for non-citizens." In general, he could not see any lack of planning in the city government, but rather: "What is happening here is fully intentional."

Savings are being made at the expense of the diligent, decent, and pensioners. It is "indecent" to "squeeze" the Viennese. Additionally, a construction halt on the subway is on the table, as cost overruns are to be borne by the city. They failed to consider increases in the agreements with the federal government.

NEOS remind ÖVP and Greens of their former budget responsibility

The representatives of the governing coalition rejected the criticism. NEOS club chairwoman Selma Arapovic assured that they rely on "honest and fair solutions." However, she reminded ÖVP and Greens of their former budget responsibility. At the federal level, they acted with a scattergun approach, following the motto: "Whatever it costs."

"Yes, it's true, public transport is becoming more expensive. And believe me, no one is happy about it," Arapovic was convinced: "But the quality we have, we want to continue to ensure." In the discussion, not a single constructive proposal came from the opposition on how the budget could be secured. They also want to continue investing, Arapovic emphasized.

SPÖ: "If you make anything more expensive, no one will cheer"

SPÖ club chairman Josef Taucher did not hide at the beginning of his speech: "If you make anything more expensive, no one will cheer." 467 euros still do not cover the costs for Wiener Linien, he pointed out using the example of the annual ticket. The fact that the Greens praised Paris's transport policy in a speech left him astonished. The public transport ticket there costs more than 900 euros and the subway is not barrier-free. "Dear Greens, is that your goal?"

"You in the federal government have left us with an unprecedented debt hole," he also stated. Vienna now has to clean up - and in difficult times, the intelligent seek solutions. They will ensure public services, he vowed. Privatizations are not planned. He also did not accept criticism of the contracts with the federal government for the subway expansion. These include clauses for renegotiation. The contracts were also approved by all parties.

(APA/Red)

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