News

NRW Fiscal Equalisation Act 2022 leaves key questions unanswered

01.10.2021 - In the annual finance equalisation law GFG 2022, important levers are turned; but much remains the same old story. In the hearing of experts, Michael Thöne stressed that the funding woes of municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia can hardly be solved if everything is merely treated as a horizontal urban-rural problem. Vertical perspectives are omitted. Corona aid to the municipalities is only granted in the form of undetermined credit. Also, the entire vertical fiscal balance between the Land and the municipalities has not been examined in detail for decades... Honi soit qui mal y pense.
See the FiFo statement here.

Less Länder politicking, more genuine needs orientation: Is that the future of municipal finances?

27.09.2021 - The Municipalities need financial security independent of revenue shortfalls and power games in the Länder parliaments. This can only be guaranteed by a clear orientation towards real needs. Michael Thöne discusses the ongoing paradigm shift towards more balanced, objective municipal fiscal equalisation with Jörg Berres, President of the Rhineland-Palatinate Court of Audit, and Patrik Kraulich, Head of Department in the Hessian Ministry of Finance. Moderated by Ulrich Keilmann, Director at the Hessian Court of Audit. Watch the (German) video of the online event of the "Behörden Spiegel" here.

Investment challenges, political volatility and Germany’s sovereign outlook

09.09.2021 - Research meets rating: In a joint webinar of the leading European provider of credit ratings Scope and FiFo Köln, Eiko Sievert and Michael Thöne discuss tasks and challenges of German fiscal policy in the next legislature and Germany's sovereign outlook. You will find the replay of the webinar on LinkedIn; Michael Thöne's presentation with additional material here for direct download.

Equivalency, inherited burdens and Covid - needs-based municipal financing in difficult times.

27.08.2021 - Down to earth questions in a sacral ambience. In the beautiful ChorForum Essen, Dörte Diemert, Nicole Borninghoff, Michael Thöne and the participants of the 22nd Conference for Planners NRW discuss the manifold challenges of sustainable municipal finances in North Rhine-Westphalia and throughout Germany.

Sustainable Fiscal Policy - Investing in the Future

15.06.2021 - Climate action, innovation, investment and sustainability - German fiscal policy needs a new agenda. Anja Hajduk and Michael Thöne present the report of the Fiscal Policy Working Group of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Ten guidelines for sustainable fiscal policy are grouped around a new "fiscal triad". The online discussion brings together some intriguing voices: Ramona Pop and Michael Hüther, Franziska Brantner and Katharina Gnath, Veronika Grimm and Jens Südekum. Join us on June 15, 2021: Program and registration here.