Prague has a budget for next year. A lot will go to spending, less to investing
Next year, the coalition leadership of Prague is preparing investments in the preparation of the last section of the City Ring Road. The draft budget also envisages the beginning of repairs to the Barrandov and Libeň bridges. In addition, hundreds of millions of crowns are to go to expand the network of social service providers. We can also look forward to a contribution tens of millions of crowns higher at the zoo, botanical garden and Lesy Praha organization.
“The first phase of the economic slowdown can be expected next year. With this in mind, we expect revenue growth of only 1.6 percent, in contrast to the state budget, which works with a much higher amount, “said Pavel Vyhnánek (Prague), Deputy Mayor for Finance.
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According to him, the proposal is deliberately prepared as “conservative” and as a result, the resulting balance of surplus revenues is likely to exceed expenditures. “We are ready to use the difference primarily for the reserve for repaying the city’s debts or to keep it in reserves for large investments that await us in the coming years,” said Vyhnánek.
Eating the budget?
The largest investments with billions of items in the coming years will be the construction of metro D, new tram lines and the completion of the City Ring Road.
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According to the opposition, however, the coalition resigned itself to a large investment and to seeking savings. “I consider absolute budgeting and irresponsibility to draw up a budget where current spending will increase by 5.5 billion and capital spending will fall by 1.5 billion. The Prague leadership is really pirate towards the people of Prague. First, they take the money out of their pockets and then they just eat it, “commented the city’s deputy and former finance minister Ivan Pilný (YES).
Similar objections are shared by the ODS, according to which the proposed budget will allow the construction of barely a hundred apartments and a maximum of two new schools. “Prague councilors, on the other hand, broke the record in increasing the number of employees of the municipality to 2340,” criticized the coalition approach to the city treasury, the head of the Prague ODS, Tomáš Portlík.
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Petr Dolínek, a former deputy mayor and member of the Social Democrats, then identified the host in the council as an example worthy of following Pilsen. “From my point of view, the Prague budget is rarely. Pilsen, with a modest, decimal budget compared to Prague, has compiled a budget with very specific projects, such as 18 residential houses, a multi-purpose center, a sports hall, specific crossroads, etc. I miss that in the case of Prague, “said Dolínek.
According to Vyhnánka Square, however, the revenue and expenditure plan is also affected by a number of factors beyond the control of Prague. “The increase in current expenditures reflects, among other things, the growth of table salaries in education and state offices. More money will be needed for the administration of EU subsidies due to the end of the seven-year cycle, “said Vyhnánek.
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