Bremen on the abyss: a waste of tax money drives debts!

Bremen on the abyss: a waste of tax money drives debts!

In a startled podcast at Inside Bremen, Carl Kau, a member of the board in the Association of Taxpayers Lower Saxony and Bremen, addressed the precarious budget situation in Bremen. The current public debt amounts to around 24 billion euros, which corresponds to a considerable amount of 36,000 euros per inhabitant. In this context, Kau criticizes a more irresponsible handling of taxpayers and warns that politicians often have to fear irresponsible decisions without consequences. This has more than a symbolic meaning for citizens, because it limits the political scope for action and endangers future generations.

Kau not only speaks of the incessantly increasing debt, which is expected to grow to around 23.9 billion euros by the end of the year, but also emphasizes structural problems in the administration, which lead to massive tax expenses. "Hafentunnel in Bremerhaven" is just an example of overpriced construction projects that the Bremern perceives as a waste of money. The cost -intensive support of unaccompanied minor refugees, which costs more than 50 million euros a year, is also strong in the crossfire of criticism. Kau demands that such expenses should be questioned "not to finance things that other countries resist," is his appeal.

budget and debt clock

The budget planning for 2024 has now been completed, and the debt clock shows an alarming number: Bremen is taking up new debts every day. The Bremen per capita debt is the highest of all federal states and city-states with 34,557 euros per person. This focuses on the emergency situation of the Senate. This has justified new loans with emergency situations since 2020, but Kau warns: If the dishes cancel this "entangled emergency situation", this could have serious consequences for the city. Responsibility for the interest and repayment loads must take future generations.

Another point on the agenda is the future orientation of prestige projects. For example, the German Unity Day is budgeted at 7.5 million euros in 2026, which means an increase of half a million compared to 2025. This leads to a general discussion about the appropriateness of such expenses, while at the same time shaken by the city's financial foundations. Over 34 million euros go to projects such as the free ticket and the city musician house, which are criticized as unnecessary prestige objects.

ways out of debt trap

In order to counteract this debt mountain, Kau calls for a return to core state tasks and a reform of the country financial equalization. The participation of the economy in public projects could also help distribute the loads and to question the output behavior of politics. Political decision -makers are required to find the measure and center at the output discipline without losing sight of the security of the citizens.

For the public sector, it is particularly important to tackle structural problems. Personnel costs have been increasing for years, which is also criticized by the State Audit Office. The granting of grants and benefits without sufficient control does not contribute to a sustainable budgetary policy. Here a rethink is necessary to lead Bremen out of debt trap.

While the debt clock is ticking, it remains to be seen whether those responsible in politics are willing to counter these challenges with the necessary reforms. It is becoming increasingly important for citizens to have a waxing eye on the use of their taxpayers and, if necessary, committed themselves to bring about a positive turn. After all, the financial policy of all cities affects not only the present, but also the future of the coming generations.

Further information on Bremen's budgetary situation and the increasing debt can be found in the comprehensive reports of Federation of taxpayers read, as well as in the data of Destatis , which provide an overview of the public budget.