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Königstein in financial distress: spa sale is threatened! Political tug of war begins!
Königstein im Taunus is struggling with financial challenges, castles and spas need renovation, the mayor is considering selling.
Königstein in financial distress: spa sale is threatened! Political tug of war begins!
In the town of Königstein in the picturesque Hochtaunuskreis, a number of challenges are currently attracting attention. Mayor Beatrice Schenk-Motzko has indicated that selling the listed spa to an investor could be a possible solution to avoid the closure of the popular spa. The city is currently struggling with a shortfall in the draft budget for 2026 of around 2.3 million euros, while expenses are a good 61.3 million euros and income is around 59 million euros. The reserves still amount to around 27 million euros, but income from trade tax has fallen from 14 to 12 million euros, which further aggravates the financial situation. This is reported by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The city’s challenges are diverse. In addition to the spa, the municipal castles also need renovation work. An application for funding for the castles was rejected this year, but a new application is planned for 2024. In addition, the city plans to create six new positions, primarily for a kindergarten. While the property tax remains the same, the assessment rate has already been increased to 1290 points in order to provide some relief to the financial situation.
Focus on renovation of the spa
The Action Group for Living in Königstein (ALK) in particular has worked intensively on the topic of spa renovation. She is calling for the estimated costs of the renovation to be disclosed after an economic feasibility study was presented in a non-public meeting of the Main and Finance Committee (HFA). This study, carried out by a renowned office, examines the current number of visitors and potential increases after renovation as well as the comparison figures to other pools. Runa Hammerschmitt, the leader of the ALK parliamentary group, describes the analysis as solid and demands that the results be made available to the public. One reason for this request is the lack of an answer to the request as to why this information has been withheld so far Taunus news report.
Another focus is on the upcoming decisions on the spa renovation, which may be made at the end of November. It is expected that the costs and the funding rate will be disclosed. The city has also presented plans for investments in the city center, a new assistance center and the renovation of Wiesbadener Straße and Amselweg, which are to be carried out in the coming years.
Königstein, which is valued as a place of residence for many wealthy citizens in the Taunus, has to face the challenges of this financial situation. With a potential sale of the spa to private investors and the search for new sources of income, the city is at a crucial point. Citizens are required to actively participate in the discussion and follow developments closely.