City council group Freie Wähler and FÜR Karlsruhe present comprehensive catalog of ideas

The city council group of Freie Wähler and FÜR Karlsruhe is entering the upcoming budget negotiations with a diverse catalog of ideas. In her budget speech, Petra Lorenz emphasized the need for more efficient administration and a clear prioritization of municipal investments. The aim is to reduce Karlsruhe’s mountain of debt, which will grow to over one billion euros by 2025.

A total of nine motions were tabled by the city council group. A central focus here is on delegating more responsibility to the employees of the city administration in order to simplify decision-making processes. At the heart of this measure is the introduction of the circulation procedure or short-term convening of the Personnel Committee for personnel decisions. This enables applications to be processed quickly and key positions to be filled promptly. Previously, applicants often had to wait several months for a response, which not only caused frustration but also uncertainty. This often led to qualified candidates withdrawing their applications because they were accepted more quickly elsewhere.

The city council group is also striving for an economic upturn in Karlsruhe. In recent years, the city has suffered the regrettable loss of a number of important companies. One of the main reasons for this is the lengthy search and approval processes. The bureaucratic hurdles are too high and deter potential investors. In today’s dynamic world, companies are forced to adapt quickly to market changes in order to remain competitive. It is therefore crucial that the administration offers an equally efficient and uncomplicated path for companies. The city council group has submitted a motion to the Karlsruhe City Council to optimize the city’s economic development. The aim is to create a central point of contact for tradespeople and companies who want to change or relocate to Karlsruhe.

In order to improve Karlsruhe’s budget situation, the city council group sees no financial scope for new major construction projects. However, the extension and refurbishment of the Turmbergbahn is already incurring new costs that have already exceeded the 20 million euro mark. Group executive Friedemann Kalmbach emphasized: “We have to be aware that we can no longer afford everything. Given the city’s budgetary situation, the renovation of the Turmbergbahn cannot be justified in this dimension and cannot be a priority. There are more urgent needs and projects where the money would be better invested, particularly in the expansion of schools and daycare centers. The Turmbergbahn is undoubtedly an important part of the city’s cultural heritage, but given the city’s difficult financial situation, we must carefully weigh up which investments will bring the greatest benefit to the citizens.”
In order to preserve the attractiveness of the Turmbergbahn, the city council group is proposing a partial renovation.