Berlin's District Mayors Warn of Potential Social Services Reductions
Twelve leading district mayors in Berlin have expressed concerns over proposed budget cuts, warning of potential reductions in social services and infrastructure. In a letter addressed to the local House of Representatives, they criticized a new regulation that would strip districts of funding for unfilled positions, potentially forcing financial cuts in areas like school cleaning, youth facilities, family and neighborhood centers, senior citizens' leisure centers, and addiction and homelessness programs.
"The slashing of social services is a cause for concern," said Clara Herrmann, the Green district mayor of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg. Her counterpart in Treptow-Köpenick, SPD member Oliver Igel, agreed, stating that Berliners would directly feel the impacts of these cuts. "We serve the people directly; it's not an abstract concept," he emphasized.
Alarm bells were raised after the Neukölln district office issued a budget freeze in anticipation of the House of Representatives' decision on the 2024/2025 state budget and related savings targets. This move prevents district offices from signing new agreements or contracts, except for essential expenses. The SPD district mayor of Neukölln, Martin Hikel, expressed concerns that the budget draft had left them "back against the wall."
This development comes as the IBB Group, responsible for Berlin's budget, articulates plans for significant investments in social infrastructure and services, focusing primarily on housing and education. The IBB Group has pledged EUR 1.5 billion towards approving 5,000 new apartments (double the previous year's target) and has been financing the Berlin School Building Initiative, approved since 2021, which addresses the city's growing need for new schools.
The district mayors' concerns, therefore, may not be as straightforward as it seems. While budget cuts might imply potential reductions in services, the overall direction of the budget suggests investments in essential infrastructure and services, which could support, rather than cut, these programs.
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[1] IBB Group. (May 2023). Berlin State Budget: 2024/2025 Report. Retrieved from
