Anita Schneider: First President of the Hessian District Day!

Anita Schneider: First President of the Hessian District Day!

Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Deutschland - 08.11.2024 / District of Hef-Rof- A historical moment for the Hessian district council! Anita Schneider, the district administrator of the district of Gießen, was elected as the first president. It succeeds Wolfgang Schuster, who no longer ran for reasons of age. In addition to her new role as President, Schneider also becomes Vice President of the German District Day. District Administrator Torsten Warnecke congratulated her warmly and emphasized that she would represent the concerns of all Hessian counties with great commitment.

Financial alarm bells ring!

But the joy of choice is overshadowed by serious financial worries. After her election, Schneider warned of an impending budget emergency. Despite record tax revenue, the counties are struggling with a massive increase in tasks that can no longer be financed. "The household results of the counties show deficit results across the board," she said. The municipalities are faced with the challenge that their fixed expenditure obligations by the district levies can no longer be covered, since the cities and municipalities belonging to the district are also heavily burdened.

The Wiesbaden explanation, which was unanimously decided during the general meeting, makes it clear: the municipal self -government is hollowed out. Warnecke warned that the counties are increasingly becoming the fulfillment of tasks that are generated at federal and state levels. "The Situation reflects the Hesse -wide picture," said Warnecke. The Hessian counties could have used up their liquidity reserves by the end of 2024, which could result in a financial deficit of over half a billion euros. Schneider and Warnecke therefore require adequate financial resources from the legislators at the federal and state levels to enable the districts again.