Parents in Ebersberg protest: explode kindergarten fees!

Parents in Ebersberg protest: explode kindergarten fees!

In the city of Ebersberg, a drastic increase in kindergarten fees ensures massive resentment among parents. The contributions were raised by 30 percent at the beginning of the year, and now, February 1, 2025, another increase of an average of 28 percent is expected. The prices rise to up to 245 euros per month and child. With an open letter, the parents' councils turned to the city and criticized the decision, which leads Ebersberg to have the most expensive kindergarten places in the region from 2025, such as the Süddeutsche reported.

Background of the increases are not only high deficits in the daycare centers, which the city has to compensate for around 400,000 euros annually, but also the increasingly tense budget situation. In his answer to the open letter, Mayor Ulrich Proske (independent) made it clear that the cost increases are primarily justified by growing personnel expenses. The parents complain that a reimbursement of closures is not possible and that there are no alternatives because the daycare places are scarce. The open letter also illuminates the failures of the city in the fee calculation and calls for a fair adjustment in accordance with the consumer price index.

violent reactions to fee increase

The reactions to the planned increases are violent. "This presents many families with financial challenges," said the parents' councils. While the topic was discussed in the city council, a representative of the parents, Simone Wörner, was a little more conciliatory after the meeting. The demand for a withdrawal of the increase was not maintained, but parents want more planning security and stable time management in future increases in fees.