City council adopts 2023/2024 budget
On 22 March, the majority of Chemnitz City Council approved the city's budget for 2023 and 2024.
The focus of the city's billion-euro budget is once again on the important future topics of family and education, digitalisation, culture and sport.
In addition, funding for transport infrastructure has been significantly increased compared to previous years, particularly for road maintenance, totalling 18 million euros. This corresponds to an increase of 7 million euros compared to the previous year.
City Treasurer Ralph Burghart: "The decision on the 2023/24 biennial budget was a challenge for everyone involved. Despite the record volume, the room for manoeuvre for new items was severely limited, which was already reflected in the preparation of the plan with a structural deficit. We all share responsibility for sound and sustainable municipal finances."
With income of around 953 million euros and expenses of around 1.010 billion euros, the result for the 2023 financial year is a negative result of around 57 million euros. In 2024, the income of 975 million euros falls short of the planned expenses of approx. 1.038 billion euros by approx. 63 million euros. However, the shortfall can be fully covered for these two years from the surpluses of previous years.
Focus on investments in schools and daycare centres
The focus of municipal investments totalling 240 million euros in 2023 and 2024 will be on schools in the coming years. The adopted school network plan includes capacity expansions through refurbishments and the completion of new school buildings totalling around 31 million euros.
This will ensure the conditions for the care and education of Chemnitz's young people in the coming years. Examples of this include the Adelsberg primary school and the completion of the Weststraße primary school, as well as the Am Hartmannplatz secondary school and the Marianne Brandt secondary school on Vettersstraße. The digital pact is also making further progress with the expansion of the data network in numerous existing buildings.
In the daycare centre sector, following the construction of new daycare centres in previous years, the focus will shift in the coming years to refurbishing and thus maintaining the existing buildings. This includes work on the Altendorfer Str. 25 daycare centre and the Auerswalder Straße 119 daycare centre.
The city council has also decided to continue the educator training programme.
Investments in roads and bridges
28 million euros have been budgeted for roads and bridges in 2023/2024. The largest individual measures relate to Neefestraße. A replacement construction of the Neefestraße bridge and the renewal of the carriageway from the motorway junction to the Südring junction are planned there. However, individual measures such as the Bornaer Straße railway crossing and the Wladimir-Sagorski-Straße pedestrian overpass are also planned.
Sport
Investment measures totalling 7.7 million euros are included in the city's budget for sport over the next two years. The largest measures are the refurbishment of the junior stadium with a running track and indoor artificial turf, the completion of the reconstruction of the main stadium in the Sportforum, the refurbishment of the outdoor pool area with the completion of the new swimming complex in Bernsdorf and the subsequent start of the refurbishment of the indoor swimming pool on Südring.
In the area of club measures, SSV Textima Chemnitz e. V. is to construct a new sports ground building at the Erfenschlag sports ground for 500,000 euros and TSV IFA Chemnitz e. V. is to replace its existing hard pitch with an artificial pitch for 600,000 euros to contribute to the further development of the club. The city council also decided to purchase the Post Stadium on Marktsteig and to build an artificial turf hockey pitch.
Art and culture
A total of 7.7 million euros has also been earmarked for art and culture in 2023 and 2024.
With the prospect of extensive funding from a federal programme, the Schauspielhaus is to be renovated in terms of energy efficiency so that it can move out of its replacement venue in the Spinnbau in the medium term.