Baunatal household: massive deficits and drastic cuts planned!

Baunatal household: massive deficits and drastic cuts planned!

In Baunatal, the city administration is in a financial intermediate. On June 25, 2025, local politicians passed a double budget for the years 2025 and 2026, which was decided with a wafer -thin majority of 11 votes from the groups of the Greens and the FDP. Why is that so drastic? Quite simply: The deficit for the current year is a whopping 38.4 million euros, while a shortfall of 6.4 million euros is planned for 2026, such as HNA reported.

conflicts and criticism in the city council

While the Greens and the FDP hold onto the austerity measures, there are strong contradictions from the CDU and the SPD. The CDU MPs have clearly spoken out against the budget, while the SPD under its parliamentary group leader Udo Rodenberg abstained from the voice, but also indicates the serious deletions of social benefits. The Social Democrats are particularly critical of the possible cuts in homework supervision and school social work. Where should that lead, many Baunataler are wondering.

Not only in the city administration it rumbles. The Aquapark is also on the brink. The Aquapark was recently the subject of a round table, to which representatives from sports clubs, the administration and mayor Henry Richter had come together. The financial imbalance of the leisure pool, which shows a deficit of a total of 36 million euros, was intensively discussed. The planned renovation stands in the way of high costs - the renewal of the filter system is expected to cost around 3.5 million euros and is scheduled for between 2026 and 2028, while the slide, whose renovation is also discussed, could devour a further 500,000 euros, as in the report of baunatal.de can be read.

questions of sustainability and personnel

While the city administration is working on receiving the Aquapark in the long term in order to make it more attractive, the shortage of skilled workers remains a challenge. Open places are difficult to fill - a fact that also puts the attractiveness of the city and its facilities under pressure. The management of the bathing company will change, since several key persons leave during the year.

Another topic is the discussion about the collection of a general entrance fee in order to stabilize the financial Situation of the Aquapark. The city wants to offer social solutions for club and popular sports. It remains questionable whether this will be enough to cushion the long -term consequences of the budget situation

Overall, Baunatal shows itself in a tense situation. The combination of high deficits and necessary savings will result in many discussions and decisions. The municipal deficit, which according to Tagesschau 2024 has reached the highest since reunification, Baunatal also meets. The question is how the city society will master these challenges.