(new: Green faction leader Drge)
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – A good three weeks before the cheap 9-euro ticket expires, the federal and state governments are fighting over a possible follow-up offer for the cheap ticket. The financing of a follow-up solution is still particularly controversial. Bavaria insists that the federal government alone bears the costs for the follow-up offer in local and regional transport. Other countries signaled their willingness to provide co-financing. Finance Minister Christian Lindner sees no scope for additional federal funds.
Bavaria’s Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) told the German Press Agency on Saturday that “in this extraordinary situation, the federal government must ensure further relief for citizens – and exclusively the federal government”. After all, the federal states have already paid for a number of relief measures by the federal government, “although they have not initiated them”.
The chairwoman of the conference of transport ministers, Maike Schaefer (Greens), had previously stated that the federal states were prepared to co-finance a follow-up offer to the 9-euro ticket. However, a prerequisite for such a decision would be facts that Federal Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) has so far failed to provide, said the Bremen mobility senator to the editorial network Germany (RND).
The time-limited 9-euro ticket was introduced by the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP to relieve people in Germany in view of rising prices. It is valid from June to August in local and regional buses and trains and costs 9 euros per month. Even before the special ticket was launched, there was a dispute about the financing. Resistance came from Bavaria, among others, for a long time.
The federal government is financing the campaign with 2.5 billion euros to compensate for loss of income at transport companies – in addition to the regular 9.4 billion euros in “regionalization funds” this year, with which states and associations order transport services from providers. In addition, there is another billion from another pot. The federal states are generally demanding more federal money for PNV.
Connection offers for the 9-euro tickets are being discussed in order to relieve passengers of energy costs and to provide incentives for switching to public transport. Among other things, there are suggestions for a 365-euro annual ticket and monthly tickets for 29, 49 or 69 euros.
Lindner said in the “Augsburger Allgemeine” (Monday) that there were no funds available in the financial planning for a continuation of the 9-euro ticket. According to the FDP politician, every euro would have to be mobilized elsewhere through cuts. Wissing is open to a successor plan. According to his ministry, however, the willingness of the federal states to participate financially is a decisive factor.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Transport, Oliver Krischer (Greens), told the “Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung” that “we are ready to talk about a short-term extension and a permanent successor arrangement”. Thuringia’s Transport Minister Susanna Karawanskij (left) said that almost half of the citizens use the 9-euro ticket. “This is a strong signal to continue the offer nationwide.” What is needed is “a real climate ticket that also relieves private wallets – for example as a year-round 365-euro ticket”.
The SPD parliamentary group insists that the federal states contribute to the costs. It must be clear that the federal government alone cannot take over the financing, said the deputy chairman of the parliamentary group, Detlef Mller, of the dpa. “In addition, it must be ensured that the necessary stabilization of operations as a result of cost increases and the expansion of the offer in PNV must not be left behind.” To finance the federal share, “a dismantling or a reduction of climate-damaging subsidies in the area of road transport is a viable way”.
In the Berlin daily taz (Monday), Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Drge called for August to be used to find a solution. If an agreement is reached quickly, a follow-up solution could be available by October. The Greens propose a regional ticket for 29 euros and a nationwide public transport ticket for 49 euros.
Lindner opposes the Greens’ proposal to abolish the flat-rate taxation of company cars in order to finance a successor to the 9-euro ticket. “It’s left-wing polemics to describe the flat-rate taxation of a company car as a privilege, because it’s primarily a tax simplification,” he told dpa. The idea of the Greens would force millions of citizens to keep a logbook without the bottom line resulting in additional revenue for the state. Studies have shown that flat-rate taxation does not mean a tax advantage. On the other hand, there is a tax subsidy for company vehicles for e-cars. “In my opinion, however, this makes sense because it means that climate-friendly new vehicles can be added to the fleet as company cars, which will soon become good and inexpensive used cars,” said Lindner.
The Left wants to keep the 9-euro ticket running until the end of the year. “From 2023 you could go to a one-euro ticket per day,” said party leader Martin Schirdewan of the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post” and the Bonn “General-Anzeiger” (both Monday). “Our strategic goal remains free local transport for all citizens.” Money for this could be collected in the short term through a so-called excess profit tax, which is aimed at profits from companies that are considered excessive./tam/hrz/DP/jha