Aid package – “Perfectly sensible” or a “consolation”?

Turquoise and Green wanted to offer “the best of both worlds”. For a long time this was only rudimentary at best. But at least now the government has done something good by distributing the additional taxes that have been abolished.

Opposition: “sleight of hand”
Both the Greens with their “social package for the lowest incomes” (Johannes Rauch) and the ÖVP with the relief of the middle class (“Finally relief for service providers”, according to Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Finance Minister Magnus Brunner) were able to prevail . The opposition does not believe in ‘self-aggrandizement’ – Jan Krainer (SPÖ) speaks of a ‘consolation’, the FPÖ of a ‘sleight of hand’, for Gerald Loacker (NEOS) it is only ‘an exemption from additional burdens'”.

The heads of the Budget Council and Wifo see many good things
Experts, however, are impressed. Christoph Badelt (Budget Council) is concerned about the increased national debt, but considers “the significantly increased aid for people in need and people with lower incomes as good and important”. The package makes perfect sense, says Wifo’s Gabriel Felbermayr. “Everyone benefits from it, but those with a low income especially benefit greatly from it.” This is especially clear by the full indexation of tax deductions. Increasing the additional child benefit by significantly more than inflation and expanding it to more recipients also has an effect in this direction. “And by increasing overtime pay and other bonuses, the federal government is sending a message that overtime should be worth it.”

Dénes Kucsera from Agenda Austria sees the relief from overtime and families as positive. “But extra money should have been invested in that. And all levels must be compensated for full inflation. Otherwise it is not a correct regression of the cold progression as in Switzerland.” Erich Vogl