2023-05-06 00:37:00
Thanks to cost-cutting measures, the major goal of not becoming a financial outflow municipality has been achieved, according to Ried’s VP Mayor Bernhard Zwielehner, who points to the cohesion of all factions. “It’s a great success. It keeps us more capable of acting than others.”
And thanks to respectable tax revenues, a grant of 1.5 million euros from the previous year’s profit from the city’s own Energie Ried and a federal program, it is now possible to invest around 2.7 million euros: primarily in the field of energy with photovoltaics and the conversion of street lamps to LED, but also in the renovation of streets.
Thanks to high levels of employment in companies, the city of Ried takes in ten million euros – via municipal tax. “The trend is positive. Above all, the wage increases for employees are causing local tax revenues to increase,” says FP Deputy Mayor Thomas Dim.
Significantly fewer radar penalties
The economy has developed very well, according to Statistics Austria, there are around 14,000 jobs in the urban area of Ried – with around 12,200 inhabitants. Ried thus has more jobs than inhabitants, more than 10,000 people commute to Ried for work – figures that illustrate the potential for growth in population development.
However, the income from the radar system for speed monitoring, which the city of Ried operates on its own account, is declining: the income from fines has fallen by 400,000 euros year-on-year, and the city councilor for finance is significantly less happy with it than the city councilor for transport.
“We analyzed that. Overall, driving across the city area is significantly slower. What also plays a role is the number of days with snowfall. We’ve had more of that lately – from the analyzes we know that on days with snowfall especially driven slowly,” says Mayor Zwielehner.
In the next two years, substantial investments are to be made in converting the street lamps to much more economical LED technology. The city needs 800,000 kW for this area. In view of the sharp rise in electricity prices, this is a relevant cost factor that can be reduced by two thirds with LEDs.
There are 2,500 “points of light” in the city area, 1,200 of which should be converted in the first step, according to SP Deputy Mayor Peter Stummer. “We are planning an intelligent system that adapts to demand in terms of brightness.” 753,000 euros are earmarked for PV systems, and more than 600 kWp are to be added. “250 on the roof of the leisure pool, 300 by the farmyard, 40 by the folklore center and 20 by the PTS,” says Stummer.
Wood chips from urban area
Thanks to an unusual solution, the municipal service yard is to be converted from the existing natural gas heating to wood chip operation: with the tree cuttings that occur every year in the public urban area. “The amount corresponds to around 200 cubic meters of wood chips per year – that’s a good figure for the needs of the farmyard.” Not a single tree is felled for this purpose. It is exclusively regarding the material that accumulates during the necessary care, thinning and regeneration of the 3000 municipal trees. “For every tree that has to be felled in Ried for reasons of age or safety, a new tree is planted by regulation,” says Deputy Mayor Thomas Dim.
City politicians want to invest 1.3 million euros in road rehabilitation, 20 streets are planned. “That’s necessary. To put it bluntly, you might play golf on some of the roads affected. 18 holes are found quickly,” says Dim.
Thanks to careful planning, the financial development of the municipality is positive even in difficult times. The total debt is ten million euros. “That’s low compared to similar cities,” says Mayor Bernhard Zwielehner.
Author
Dieter Seitl
Local editor Innviertel
Dieter Seitl
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