Rent subsidy from the FP failed in the Wels municipal council

2023-04-19 03:10:00

The free play of forces went to the disadvantage of the Welser FP in the municipal council meeting on Monday: The initiative application for the rent subsidy, which the party had submitted together with Neos and MFG, was not decided. Instead, all parties except the FP voted for it to be dealt with in the social committee.

The only member of the Neos council, Walter Zaunmüller, applied for this – although he had previously submitted the initiative application. He did not want to “expose himself as a representative of the city of Wels to possible illegality,” was Zaunmüller’s reasoning.

amendment submitted

According to the draft, the city of Wels would have paid citizens with a monthly income below a certain limit a one-time rent subsidy of 200 euros. The stumbling block was the proposal regarding the conditions of origin: Austrian and EU or EEA citizens would have had to have their main residence in Wels for a year in order to receive the subsidy. For third-country nationals, it should have been ten years.

“I think the distinction between third-country nationals is legally dubious,” said City Councilor Martin Oberndorfer (VP). He cited a legal opinion that the proposal could be discriminatory and in breach of EU, Austrian and state law.

VP, SP and Greens argued that third-country nationals would help develop the Wels location through their work. That is why they deserve support. The three parties tabled an amendment. This stipulates that third-country nationals who have been living in Wels for a year will also receive the subsidy. In addition, this should also include apartment and house owners as a “housing subsidy”. The application deadline for the grant is to be pushed back from mid-June to the end of the year. Because the issue ended up in the Social Affairs Committee, the amendment was not voted on.

Mayor Rabl has already opposed these changes – people who would not have contributed to the tax system would benefit. There are also support services, such as the state’s housing allowance, which have similar award criteria as the proposal for a rent subsidy. “The European Court of Justice has decided very clearly that such regulations do not violate European law,” said Rabl.

The further course of action is now decided by the social committee – this can demand a detailed legal examination.