District administration Göttingen is fighting with 188 million euros!

District Administrator Marcel Riethig (SPD) presented the design of the double budget 2025/26 in the district council. The medium -term financial planning by 2029 provides for a deficit of around 188 million euros. A minus of almost 20 million euros is expected for the current budget year. Despite these financial challenges, the district administration continues an investment program of 255 million euros.

An increase in the circular levy is not planned. Riethig emphasizes that the financial problems are not self -inflicted. Savings from the deletion of all voluntary services would only bring in 13 million euros. The district administrator also criticizes the financial resources of the municipal level. Lower Saxony is expected to complete a plus of 3.6 percent in 2024, but this money does not arrive at the municipalities.

Financial situation of the municipalities

riethig compares the nationwide deficit of the municipalities of 1.4 billion euros with a plus in the state budget of 1.6 billion euros and demands appropriate financial resources from the municipalities by the state. The draft budget does not provide for deletions in voluntary services. Riethig suggests foregoing a household security concept and sees the waiver of the financial emergency brake as an opportunity to improve the financial resources of the municipalities.

The household is supposed to navigate the district through uncertain times. Riethig rejects construction stops, job cancellations and the waiver of investments that have already been decided. Further information on the financial situation in Lower Saxony and the municipalities can be found in the Finanzstatus 2021 , which offers detailed insights into the financial and budget situation.

For the district of Göttingen, the implementation of the plans and measures remains a major challenge that will have to be mastered in the coming years to ensure financial stability.