City of Offenbach calls for appropriate support from the state for local public transport

Offenbach is following the current financial development of local public transport in Hesse with great displeasure. In order to finance the increased requirements of the transport associations, the state of Hesse is demanding a contribution of at least 120 million euros from the local authorities. This would mean millions in additional costs for Offenbach's already tight budget.

As Chairwoman of the Climate and Transport Committee of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns, Mayor Sabin Groß has initiated a resolution calling for greater involvement by the state in financing local public transport. This week, this draft resolution was confirmed by the Presidium of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns. Sabine Groß is also a member of the executive committee of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns and campaigned for this at the meeting.

Sabine Groß appeals to the state of Hesse: "It is unacceptable that the costs of the transport turnaround should be borne by the local authorities. I therefore support the demand of the Hessian Association of Cities and Towns for more financial responsibility for the transport transition. We need long-term financial resources to implement it successfully. An investment in local public transport is an investment in the future. We are already raising considerable funds at municipal level for our local transport services, i.e. bus services in Offenbach. The state must therefore provide greater financial security for the financing of the networks".

City Treasurer Martin Wilhelm strongly criticizes the state of Hesse. "With the additional costs for the municipalities, the city of Offenbach would also be faced with a burden of millions that we cannot bear. What's more, this additional burden would be permanent, which is simply unaffordable, especially for poorer cities," says Wilhelm.

The state is also announcing savings at the expense of the municipalities in a second area: the previous coronavirus compensation in the state's draft budget for 2022 was still defined as 120 million euros. Surprisingly, no more money has now been earmarked for 2023 and 2024. However, OVB's economic planning still includes amounts as compensation payments that would then be missing: €2.5 million in 2023, €1.5 million in 2024 and €0.5 million in 2025.

Mayor Groß and City Treasurer Wilhelm see this as a major risk for Offenbach's financial situation: "So far, we have received financial support to compensate for the slump in ticket sales. If this support is withdrawn from 2023, this would mean another financial hole totaling €4.5 million for the city budget."

"Unfortunately, the pandemic is not over yet and seems to be experiencing an upswing again at the moment. As is so often the case, the further course of the pandemic and the economic consequences are difficult to predict. We therefore expect the state of Hesse to support us here, as it has done in the past two years," says Mayor Groß.

The discussion surrounding the savings in public transport in Offenbach cannot be compared with the discussion at state level. "Alongside Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, Hesse is one of the wealthiest federal states, while Offenbach is a poor city with strict financial requirements from the state," said Treasurer Wilhelm. As agreement had also been reached on a minimum bus service, the pressure on Offenbach's budget was nevertheless increasing considerably, Wilhelm concluded.