Following the federal cabinet’s decision to implement the special infrastructure fund, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities (Deutscher Städtetag) has voiced sharp criticism regarding the absence of a fixed quota for municipalities. Christian Schuchardt, the association’s chief executive, told the “Rheinische Post” that the decision “does not help the municipal level.
The removal of the initially planned minimum allocation of 60 percent of the funds for municipalities raises concerns about potential trade-offs with other projects that have already been financed or are slated for funding.
Schuchardt further argued that the federal states should instead allocate a significant portion of the special fund to their municipalities as additional investment capital. He emphasized that the allocation should reflect the public investment activity of cities and municipalities, which he stated is over 60 percent in all federal states and frequently exceeds 70 percent. “This regulation would be logical and fair” Schuchardt concluded.