Tunau municipality before incorporation: debts press the till!

Tunau municipality before incorporation: debts press the till!

Tunau, Deutschland - The financial situation of the small municipality of Tunau, which counts around 200 inhabitants, is alarming. The budget deficit for 2024 is around 69,000 euros, while the per capita debt of the municipal citizens reaches around 3,000 euros. In view of this critical situation, the local supervision recommends that Tunau follows the city of Schönau. Black Forest Bode that the authority considers an annual improvement of at least 60,000 euros as necessary.

The mayor Dirk Pfeffer explains that voluntary integration into the city of Schönau for Tunau is not an option. This solution would be unattractive for the city of Schönau because it would have to take over the debts of Tunau. As a rule, municipalities in Baden-Württemberg take place by a decision by the state legislator. A sale of the town hall, in which the fire brigade is also integrated, is also not possible.

challenges and solutions

The financial problem of Tunau is not new. The municipality has been suffering from a poor financial situation for many years, which is partly due to high levies to the municipal administration association (GVV) Schönau and the district of Lörrach. Almost 50 percent of the Tunau budget flow into such levies. The costs for kindergarten, which amount to around 10,000 euros per child annually, are also a significant burden, especially with increasing number of children.

The local council has so far rejected increases in taxes, leases and rents, which further tightens the situation. From 2026, possible relief could be achieved in the fee calculation by deleting fountain water, which could relieve the budget by around 40,000 euros. A new fee is to be calculated for 2027 with a common water supply. There are also hopes for a federal infrastructure program, even if concrete investments are still unclear.

The role of the municipal administration association

The municipal administration association (GVV) has established itself in the region as a functioning solution. A GVV is a merger of several municipalities that enables them to bundle administrative tasks and save costs. The member communities retain their legal independence, while the citizens receive tax notices directly from the association administration. wikipedia explains that in Baden-Württemberg the tasks of a GVV can also be transferred as part of an agreed administrative community of a single community.

In order to improve the financial situation, Tunau plans to sell ecophanges, but this could only act once as a measure to stabilize the financial situation for 2026. Mayor Pfeffer has announced that it will run for the office again because the current situation will be a major challenge for every new incumbent.