Many mayors in Thuringia are concerned about whether they can continue to heat their municipal facilities. The local politicians are also dealing with more tasks that come up to the administration.
Erfurt (dpa/th) - Thuringia's municipalities are expecting a rush for housing benefit in view of the exploding energy prices. "The number of people entitled to housing benefit will increase significantly. We expect it to triple," said the managing director of the Association of Municipalities and Cities, Ralf Rusch, on Wednesday on the sidelines of the general meeting of the central municipal association in Erfurt. The processing of the applications, the payment of the money and possible objection procedures put further pressure on the municipal administrations. They too would find it difficult to find enough staff.
According to a reform decided by the federal government on Wednesday, the amount of housing benefit and the group of those entitled to it are to be increased. This is essentially a state subsidy for rent for people on low incomes. Even those who own a condominium or a house and at the same time have little money can get support for the repayment of their loans.
The consequences of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, inflation, the energy crisis and the corona pandemic weighed on many mayors, said Rusch. "Many suffer from the concern that they have built something up over many years that could now be in question." As examples, the managing director named floodlight systems on sports fields or halls and clubhouses, which may soon no longer be able to be operated due to necessary energy savings. "This worry does something to people."
After weeks of arguments with the state about the reimbursement of accommodation costs for refugees, the managing director of the municipal association expressed his satisfaction. This applies to the solution this year with the payment of 49.5 million euros. Whether this amount will also be necessary in 2023 is not yet foreseeable, says Rusch.
But there are already signs of high costs, for example in the kindergartens, to which many girls and boys from Ukraine have been admitted. "The day-care centers are reaching their limits - in terms of staff, but also the space available." In 2023, the towns belonging to the district, which operate most of the daycare centers, would also need money for this.
The motto of this year's general meeting of representatives of towns and communities was "A Turning Point".
