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With the yes to the compensation of the social burden and the highway law, the municipalities are economically relieved. That gives them scope for tax cuts, even leftists think.
Opponents in the electoral battle, but not enemies: Cantonal Councilor Thomas Forrer (Greens, left) and Finance Director Ernst Stocker (SVP) at the Canton Media Center.
Photo: Samuel Schalch
Two proposals came to a vote on Sunday in the canton of Zurich. Both had the objective of redistributing the costs from the municipalities to the canton. In total, it is about 250 to 300 million francs.
The additional benefits law was included, which brings compensation of social burden and costs the canton 160-200 million 61.8 percent accepted. 158 municipalities and city districts said yes and 18 municipalities said no. Dietikon passed the most with 72.3 percent, with the Winterthur district of Veltheim 76 and Zurich’s 4 + 5 district even registering 77.1 percent of the vote. Herrliberg rejected the majority with 57.8 percent no.
He was a bit stricter with the highway law, which costs the canton around 90 million. 55.2 percent said yes. 129 municipalities and city districts agreed and 47 against. The highest approval is found in Maschwanden, in the southwest of the canton (67.8 percent), and the 4 + 5 district of Zurich also has the even highest value (69 percent). The strongest rejection is registered in Herrliberg with a 60.7 percent of no.
Both proposals were rejected in 17 municipalities: Aesch, Boppelsen, Brütten, Dinhard, Erlenbach, Herrliberg, Kilchberg, Küsnacht, Lufingen, Maur, Meilen, Neerach, Nürensdorf, Rüschlikon, Uitikon, Winkel and Zumikon were rejected. Interestingly, Humlikon said no to social security and yes to the highway law.
The turnout was 55 percent.
Greens: “The Climate Alliance Works”
The municipalities have now won in association with the center-left parties against the bourgeoisie and the governing council. Thomas Forrer (Greens) was equally pleased with the results: “The Climate Alliance works and enjoys the support of the population,” he was delighted. This alliance was formed after the last elections and has a majority in the cantonal parliament. It consists of SP, GLP, Greens, EPP and AL.
Forrer is particularly pleased that the polluter pays principle is being reinforced in the road sector. Municipal roads are now paid for from car taxes instead of the general tax fund. “Now the municipalities have more scope for other projects in the educational, social, energy or real estate fields,” says the president of the green parliamentary group in the cantonal council and is considering measures against CO₂ emissions and day schools. Communities can also better maintain their streets. And: “Municipalities can reduce their tax rates.”
Less pressure to raise taxes
Other supporters of the templates are expressed with a little more caution. Jörg Kündig (FDP), president of the Association of Municipal Presidents, speaks of a “significant relief for municipalities”. People will probably be able to cut taxes, he speculates. But in most municipalities, the pressure to increase taxes is easing: the keyword Corona.
Celine Widmer (SP) sees it in a similar way. She would like the municipal tax rates of the canton of Zurich to be less separate. “Due to the passage of the two bills, individual communities with a heavy social burden now have the option of reducing their taxes,” she says.
Solve investment backlog
Sonja Gehrig (GLP) also sees opportunities for municipalities to resolve their investment backlog or reduce the deficit. “Depending on the situation, individual municipalities may or may not increase their taxes.” On the other hand, he expects social costs to rise due to the Corona crisis and demographics.
Taxes in Zurich are unlikely to be lowered. “In the case of the city, such relief is not reflected in the tax rate,” says Councilor Raphael Golta (SP). Zurich will receive between 30 and 40 million more from the canton in 2022 than next year.
“Now the municipalities have to lower taxes”
At Embrach, on the other hand, the prospects are better. “If the effects of the crisis on the Crown are not too great, we can think about a tax cut,” says Mayor Erhard Büchi (FDP), who is considered the father of the proposal. Büchi also believes that it is fair to taxpayers if municipalities reduce the tax rate if the canton has to increase its tax rate. The proposal did not bring any additional costs, only a reallocation of costs.
The SVP is very clear on the subject: “Now the municipalities have to lower taxes,” says the party’s president, Benjamin Fischer. However, it remains pessimistic. “It will probably sit down and the extra money will run out.”
“That will haunt us in the near future”
Cantonal Finance Director Erst Stocker (SVP) declined to discuss tax increases. But he said his room for maneuver is getting smaller. In the canton there would be a good 250 million additional charges per year, which corresponds to a tax of 4 to 5 percent. “That will haunt us for a while,” he said.
The new fringe benefits law is expected to come into effect in 2022. The change in the highway law will not take effect until 2023, said economic director Carmen Walker Späh (FDP). The law needs an ordinance and she wants to send it to the consultation process first.
Walker Späh made it clear, however, that the cantonal streets will be short on money. So now he will “review the need for planned projects,” as he said.
Template 1: Additional Services Law
Most of the day of the cantonal vote was the revision of the Additional Services Act. It regulates which AHV and IV pensioners are entitled to maintenance and who pays the around 920 million francs (2018) per year. The proposed change in the law will not change the modalities for low-income beneficiaries. The objective is the payment key. Today the federal government and the canton will pay 44 percent, from 2021 50 percent. Cities and municipalities pay the rest.
The key to vote is 70:30 percent (canton: municipalities) with a cost limit to be borne by the most affected municipalities, such as the city of Zurich. The conclusion is that the federal government and the canton pay 65 percent, the municipalities 35 percent. According to cantonal estimates, the amount that will be redistributed will be between 160 and 200 million (2021), and somewhat more in the following years.
The municipalities have overcome this change of load in the cantonal parliament because they believe that they cannot influence these costs and that the latter are distributed very unevenly. A taxpayer in the city of Zurich pays around 500 francs for the AHV / IV additional benefits, a taxpayer in Buch am Irchel around 50 francs. With the revision, these amounts would drop to 370 and 25 francs per capita, so the difference would decrease. It is a kind of compensation of social burden at the expense of the canton.
The vote is also a test of strength between the mayor and cantonal finance director Ernst Stocker (SVP), who is against the change of law. Stocker says it is not compensation, but a transfer of costs. Also, because of the sprinkler principle, communities that don’t even need to benefit. The canton is going through difficult times, it cannot afford to pay 200 million more a year.
Ja-Parole: SP, GLP, Grüne, CVP, EVP, AL
Without motto: Senior Vice President, EDU
Voice approval: FDP
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Template 2: Highway Law
The second cantonal proposal also deals with redistribution. In the Cantonal Council, the Greens pushed that 20 percent of the annual revenues from the motor vehicle tax, the mineral oil tax and the HVF go to the municipalities. With these around 90 million they are supposed to maintain their streets.
So far, the maintenance of the canton’s roads and their depreciation have been paid with an annual income of 450 million. Until now, the renovation of municipal roads has been fully charged to the municipal coffers.
Proponents think that the polluter pays principle should also apply at the community level: motorized road users should pay for the maintenance of their roads themselves. Furthermore, the cantonal fund for roads is complete and overfunded.
Opponents say the fund is instead over-indebted because there is $ 1.4 billion in the pot but $ 1.9 billion in amortization. You speak of a “looting” of the fund. Here also the principle of the watering can is criticized and that the 90 million annually will be missing in the coffers of the canton. The road fund is integrated into the cantonal budget.
Ja-Parole: SP, GLP, Grüne, EVP, AL
Without motto: Senior Vice President, FDP, CVP, EDU
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