Erfurt (dpa/th) - The opposition CDU parliamentary group has started a new attempt to reduce the real estate transfer tax in Thuringia from the current 6.5 percent to 5.0 percent. On Friday, she presented a bill to the state parliament in Erfurt, which caused a heated debate with many heckling. The background to this is that the red-red-green government coalition does not have a majority in the state parliament and there is a risk that a decision could be taken to reduce the real estate transfer tax.
With the votes of the opposition, which includes the AfD, FDP and some non-attached MPs in addition to the CDU, the draft law was initially referred to the finance committee of the state parliament for further discussion. According to the CDU, Thuringia is one of the federal states with the highest tax rate.
Speakers from the Left, SPD and Greens accused the CDU of organizing high revenue losses for the country with a lower tax rate. The money would then be missing elsewhere. "Socio-politically, this is going in the wrong direction," said the parliamentary group leader of the left, Steffen Dittes. State services could be up for grabs “that families in Thuringia need in particular”.
Finance Minister Heike Taubert (SPD) estimated the state's loss of income with a land transfer tax reduced to 5.0 percent at 67 million euros annually. She accused the CDU of duplicity. On the one hand she wants to lower taxes, on the other hand she criticizes that there is not enough money for certain tasks.
The CDU budget politician Maik Kowalleck said in the debate that the high real estate transfer tax is one reason why young families in Thuringia often see the dream of their own four walls shattered. Other federal states, in which 6.5 percent also apply, would have at least created relief specifically for families. "For Thuringia, the high real estate transfer tax is a real locational disadvantage in Germany-wide competition."
