For the first time, they heard the figures for the upcoming year from the district treasurer, Stefan Pilgram. To ensure the Starnberg district remains solvent in fulfilling its mandatory tasks and can realize its planned projects in 2026, the county contribution rate (Kreisumlage) had to be increased by one percentage point compared to the previous year to 55.80 percent. This is driven by an uncovered financial requirement in the administrative budget of nearly €151.82 million.
Starnberg District – According to District Administrator Stefan Frey, numerous areas are exerting significant financial pressure. Sharply increased costs in the social sector, particularly youth welfare services at around €20 million, personnel costs of €40 million, and, most notably, the county contribution share of €67.20 million are heavily impacting the budget. In this context, Frey, together with his fellow district administrators, managed to halve the increase for the Starnberg district to €5.7 million, as he explained to the budget committee. “The county contributions make up 30 percent of our administrative budget,” Frey emphasized. Additionally, public transport costs of €14.6 million and tuition fees for commuting schoolchildren amounting to €10.6 million are added. Thus, the administrative budget, with the increased county contributions, totals €233.5 million.
County Contribution Rate Increased to 55.8 Percent
On the assets side, there are “no major items,” described District Treasurer Pilgram. Payments for the gymnasium in Herrsching are completed; only long-term investments in the Starnberg hospitals of €35.7 million are putting pressure on the capital budget, which is set at €52.75 million for the coming year.
The debt level by the end of 2026 is projected to be €99.6 million. This corresponds to a per capita debt of €715. “We are financially dependent on other levels of government,” District Administrator Stefan Frey reminded the committee, referencing his protest trip with colleagues to the Bavarian State Chancellery in Munich last summer. “We, the districts and municipalities, are being given more and more tasks to perform, but we are not being given the money to do so,” Frey characterized the current situation, where demands from federal and state authorities are increasing while financial support is withheld.
“One could feel sick when seeing these figures,” stated Albert Luppart (Free Voters), but he specifically emphasized that this was not related to the “excellent work” of the district treasurer. “Only with a heavy heart” can he approve the budget, remarked the representative of the mayors, Rainer Schnitzler (Free Voters). Like the district administrator, he also expressed frustration with the constantly growing number of tasks being passed down from Berlin to the municipal level.
Source: Starnberg District Administration, Budget Committee
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