Baptism: City stops rent increases – salzburg.ORF.at
Record inflation and rising energy prices are making life in Salzburg more and more expensive. If the KPÖ has its way, the city of Salzburg would have to start with the rising housing costs. “When it comes to the key issue of rising costs, the city can freeze rents, at least for municipally owned apartments, instead of increasing them,” says municipal councilor Kay-Michael Dankl (KPÖplus).
Mayor Harald Preuner (ÖVP) has already promised: “It will certainly be done because we have it in our own hands with the 1,700 city apartments. We already have low tariffs and will not increase them. That goes without saying.”
NEOS for reducing sewer and garbage fees
In terms of relief, the city could also start with the fees, according to the NEOS. The Court of Auditors reported the high sewer fees in Salzburg almost ten years ago, the Pinken recall: “The city earns a fortune with the sewer and garbage fees. We have to go down there and I think now is the time to do it,” says municipal councilor Lukas Rösslhuber (NEOS).
Preuner: “Relief for those who need it”
A proposal made on Wednesday by the ÖVP, SPÖ and Citizens’ List is rejected. “We have to be able to keep the accuracy. We’re not supposed to run over it with the watering can. Because the losses then affect everyone. Many will be happy who can easily afford it. If we take tariffs into account, we have to make sure that it hits those who really need it,” says Preuner.
Several ideas for lowering public transport prices
Possible relief in the area of public transport was also intensively debated today. The SPÖ, for example, is calling for ticket prices to be frozen. If the NEOS have their way, ticket prices would have to be halved for a year and if the KPÖ and Bürgerliste have their way, public transport could be available for free for a year, based on the model in Eisenstadt (Burgenland).
“I think that’s really worth considering. The point here is to really give people who are dependent on the bus short-term relief. It might also have the effect that people who have never taken the bus to date could get used to this form of public transport,” says Ingeborg Haller, chairwoman of the Green Citizens’ List.
Social tariffs for public transport will come at the end of 2022
However, this proposal did not find a majority in the municipal council on Wednesday. For this purpose, access to cheap social tariffs should be accepted by means of a so-called mobile card. “It is very difficult to negotiate that with the Salzburger Verkehrsverbund or Salzburg AG. But it’s our turn because we want people to be able to use public transport cheaply,” says Social Councilor Anja Hagenauer (SPÖ). By the end of the year at the latest, the low-income public transport tariffs should be implemented.