In the end, the councillors supported the mayor’s proposal.
The current dog tax rates in Schmiechen do not cover the associated costs. The municipal council has discussed raising them several times. Mayor Josef Wecker was tasked with preparing a summary of dog tax rates in other municipalities within the joint administrative district. The result: Schmiechen’s rates are the lowest by a large margin—currently €30 for the first dog, €60 for the second, and €80 for the third. Keeping a dog classified as a fighting breed costs €250. Wecker proposed increasing the rates to €60, €90, €120, and €500 respectively. At the current rates, the municipality receives about €3,200 per year, while the costs amount to €6,000.
How Schmiechen’s Municipal Council Voted on the Dog Tax Issue
Sophie Schwayer considered the increase too high. Thomas Greiner, in contrast, remarked: “What a dog eats in a year is disproportionate to these rates.” Wecker added: “Anyone who takes their dog to the vet once will easily pay the annual dog tax.” Martin Sumperl argued against the tiered pricing: “Does a second dog create more mess than the first?” This suggestion was rejected with a 5:5 vote. Ultimately, the presented draft resolution was passed with a 7:3 vote. The tax for multiple dogs is calculated per household, not per person.
Other Topics at the Municipal Council Meeting
The meeting also discussed a pump station in Unterbergen, which will be managed remotely in the future. During its last session, the municipal council approved the option for remote access at a gross cost of €9,800. This significantly eases the work of the sewage treatment plant operator, as he can monitor the system’s operation remotely and also make adjustments to the water tower building. This capability already exists for all other pump stations. It is especially important in Unterbergen because there is no option for excess wastewater overflow there, and serious problems can arise if the pumps fail.
Tests of New Lighting to Be Conducted
The pedestrian path to the sports facility on Meringer Straße will be illuminated using solar-powered lamps. The desire to light the pedestrian path had been expressed to the municipality on several occasions. It was possible to install conventional street lighting with six lamp posts and cable laying. An offer from LEW for approximately €30,000 existed but was rejected as too expensive. The alternative was three solar-powered lamps costing €3,400. They have already been installed. The lamps have a maximum luminous flux of 3000 lumens and are equipped with a motion sensor. If no motion is detected, the lamp dims to 100 lumens. The experiment is ongoing. If the lighting proves effective, additional lamps can be installed and potentially used in other locations.
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