30 years ago, Unterhaching launched a funding program for private energy saving measures. This is the municipality’s oldest climate protection measure, which has been repeatedly revised and adapted over time. Now, of all times, when the municipal council has set itself the extremely ambitious goal of making Unterhaching climate-neutral by 2030, there is no longer any money for such financial injections for the citizens. After all, it was a voluntary thing and compulsory tasks take precedence. However, the community does not want to do without the funding entirely, because that would send the wrong signal. So the municipal council reached a compromise at its most recent meeting: Less money for the individual, so more approved applications. Until the existing sum of 370,000 euros has been distributed.
When the budget freeze came into effect in October of last year, the administration had initially put the applications for funding that had been submitted on hold. The decisions from 2021 and 2022 that have already been approved but are still pending have already added up to 370,000 euros. If the 2023 funding program were to continue unchanged, the administration has calculated a financial requirement of 600,000 euros. That’s a lot of money when you consider the precarious budgetary situation of the community, which is why many clubs and institutions have had their funding cut.
The town hall administration warns of frustration and resentment
The greatest savings potential in this area was of course the complete cancellation of the subsidy program. However, the town hall administration warned that this would certainly cause frustration and resentment among the applicants and, in individual cases, might even endanger the financing of private investments. The reputation and credibility of the municipality would suffer, as would its climate protection efforts.
The municipal council finally followed the suggestion of SPD parliamentary group spokesman Peter Wöstenbrink to handle all old cases for which funding had been requested by December 31 with 70 percent of the previously promised sum. The funds thus freed up in the budget should be available for new funding applications until they are completely used up. The previous funding program will expire retrospectively on January 1st. However, the administration should develop a new support program.