310 lines “Different” – “Budget hide and seek” with 138 million euros

Every year, not only does the Christ Child come, but so does the budget resolution. However, hours of debate are still needed in the state parliament, even if the outcome is clear from the start: the opposition complains, the government decides. A beloved ritual that seems a bit old-fashioned in times of crises and empty treasuries.

“Gift for the official parties of the ÖVP”
Speaking of empty treasuries: the salaries of civil servants and politicians will still increase by almost 10% as of January 1. The agreement on this failed in the middle of the negotiations on the collective labor agreement for trade, which have still not been completed. For Neos boss Dominik Oberhofer it is crystal clear why: “It is an early election gift from the ÖVP to the ÖVP civil servants party. So that nothing goes wrong during the elections for the National Council,” Oberhofer recently explained in the state parliament. Which promptly earned him the accusation from VP club boss Jakob Wolf that they already knew Oberhofer was a “civil servant hater”. Which of course he indignantly rejected.

The fact is: politicians’ salaries will increase on January 1. A 50% cap could not be imposed until February at the earliest. Excluded from this: the salaries of the mayors.

Hidden reserve for state councilors?
Every year, the Fritz List also denounces “hiding money in meaningless budget names” such as “Other Services (Other).” This time it involved 138 million euros in 310 budget lines, Liste-Fritz-LA Markus Sint criticized. “These types of lines were in previous budget estimates,” says Sint. The big but: “The hidden amounts have exploded under the black-red state government.”

Scavenger hunt for advanced users
In the 2023 estimate it was €76.2 million, in the 2024 estimate it was €137.8 million – an increase of 81%. “On the one hand, members of the government create financial buffers from which they can distribute tax money during the year. On the other hand, the state government is trying to keep the expenditure and the increases in expenditure secret. But the state budget should not be a treasure hunt for advanced students!”

VP: It’s done like this everywhere
Finance spokesperson LA Martin Mayerl (ÖVP) said about this in the state parliament: “Colleague Sint has of course never had political responsibility in the sense that he had to draw up a budget,” says LA Mayerl, also mayor of Dölsach. He didn’t see any problem. His municipal budget contains 78 items on other matters, with a budget of approximately 6 million euros: “This is handled in the same way as in every municipality in the state of Tyrol. However, anyone who is inherently suspicious immediately turns to cover-up tactics or abuse of power. The fact is that there are transparent financing criteria and guidelines for all payment flows, which the opposition must also be aware of.”

Free play at Budget in Innsbruck
Government and opposition – that no longer exists in Innsbruck since 2021. Since then, the free play of forces also determines the decision about the city budget. The debate about this revealed some interesting details. For example, the municipal companies of Innsbruck are drilling the Karwendel nature park for 26 million euros to build a new drinking water tunnel.

“The original estimates were €8 million. That is an increase of more than three times,” marvels Economic StR Christine Oppitz-Plörer (FI). Rumor has it that the end has not yet been reached. The number of offices of BM Georg Willi has also increased. After his second deputy was voted out, his responsibilities fell to him. He is now responsible for 90% of the budget, FI financial spokesman Markus Stoll pointed out. The estimate (approximately €530 million), including a 50% expenditure freeze, was approved by a majority.