CDU's Road Charge Abolition Bill Fails in Rhineland-Palatinate
A bill proposed by the CDU faction to abolish road construction fees in Rhineland-Palatinate has failed in the state parliament. The bill was supported by the CDU, AfD faction, and the group of Free Voters, but was ultimately defeated due to the votes of the traffic light coalition.
The bill's defeat means that residents of Koblenz will continue to be involved in the costs of expanding and renovating municipal roads. The SPD's Benedikt Oster raised concerns about this, citing experiences in other federal states where taxes were increased after fees were abolished.
The traffic light factions criticized the bill, with the Green faction's Carl-Bernhard von Heusinger describing the proposed investment allowance of 200 million euros as 'highly speculative'. The CDU faction had proposed using state funds instead, arguing that ending the fees would save bureaucracy and is not socially equitable. However, Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) accused the CDU faction of ignoring the concerns of municipal associations.
With the bill's defeat, Rhineland-Palatinate remains the only state where municipalities are required to financially involve residents in road construction. The controversial road construction fees will continue, ensuring that residents remain invested in the maintenance and expansion of their local roads.
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