Mayor Walter Gohm
©Municipality of Frastanz
Inflation, rising interest rates: “The challenge of creating a budget has perhaps never been greater,” confessed finance officer and mayor Walter Gohm to the municipal council.
Everyone agreed on January 12, 2023. Just like the financial plan for 2023 presented by Gohm, which was praised by all factions as balanced and far-sighted.
The training center in Hofen was only recently opened, and the new construction of the training center in Fellengatter is on track: almost 35 million euros have to be raised for these major projects alone in the next 20 years or so. Nevertheless, Frastanz does not want to be deterred from tackling other important future projects.
This year alone, around 5 million euros are earmarked for investments and maintenance: The market town of Frastanz, for example, is investing in the expansion of the sports facility and – together with the communities in the Im Walgau region – in the renewal of the natural pool in the Untere Au, in road renovations and the construction of cycle paths, the water and canal register as well as the skater park, and the processing of green waste in the Galätscha and maintenance of community buildings.
There was unanimous praise for the basic purchases worth 5 million euros. “If someone had told me a year ago that we would do this despite the upcoming investments, I would have thought them at least a dreamer,” explained Ronald Beller, budget spokesman for the Greens and Frastanz Independent Party. Buying the Gasthof Kreuz and several pieces of land from an inheritance, as the municipal council unanimously decided on the application of Walter Gohm in December of the previous year, was a very far-sighted decision.
Stable growth for business location This was also made possible because the federal government’s share of income is increasing and, above all, because municipal taxes are developing positively and in a stable and crisis-proof manner. After comparing the expenses in the profit budget of 21.5 million euros with the income, there is a minus of 460,000 euros.
Debt increases by 3.8 million to 22.1 million euros over the course of the year. With a debt ratio of 3,424 euros per capita, the market town of Frastanz is still within a reasonable range: the municipal council was also unanimous in this assessment.
