News

09.06.2021 - How can fiscal equalization contribute to coping with crises? At the conference of the Vienna University of Technology and the KDZ Centre for Public Administration Research, Michael Thöne will give the keynote speech on the chances of arming all federal levels against such diverse crises as Corona and climate change through good fiscal equalization. Come (digitally) to Vienna and participate on June 9, 2021! Program and registration here. 

17.05.2021 - Many features have turned out to be appropriate; some should be made better: FiFo Report No. 30 presents the evaluation of the horizontal and vertical fiscal equalisation of the Free State of Thuringia. Now in the third German Land, the FiFo approach of differentiated, task-specific regression analysis of municipal financial needs proves its validity. It provides the platform for means-tested fiscal equalisation, which is also being increasingly demanded by the constitutional courts of the Länder.

20.04.2021 - Actual fiscal and infrastructural constraints are often seen as "killjoys" when visions for the city of tomorrow are being developed. But a firm grounding and long-term vision always go hand in hand in scenarios of urban opportunities and challenges. Dörte Diemert, Cologne's city treasurer, together with researchers from difu Berlin and FiFo Cologne present their findings in the April issue of "der gemeindehaushalt” (in German). Please also see the Difu-FiFo report now available.

19.04.2021 - Sofia Darmstadt and FiFo Cologne have published their economic analysis of municipal fiscal equalisation in the Saarland. The route is clear: unprejudiced funding for municipalities and districts that reflects tasks, needs and centrality is feasible; anachronisms such as "inhabitant-weighting" may very well go. Order the real book here; or use its free digital version (both in German).

12.04.2021 - In 2016, one of the big German subsidies for maritime shipping, the wage tax withholding for seafarers on ships flying the German flag, was more than doubled from 40% to 100%. Five years later it is clear this had no impact on employment. Apparently, this failure is not a sufficient reason not to extend the aid for German shipping companies for another six years. Michael Thöne comments on this in the Bundestag hearing from the perspective of subsidy control. (In German.)