Grüne on finance and taxes

The Greens want a more sustainable, fairer and more transparent state budget. Where the state itself is in control, it should reach climate targets earlier than the law requires. The state's assets and debts would in future be presented as in a balance sheet.

The Greens want Saxony to handle tax money with care. Everyone should be able to see what the state spends money on. The state should lead by example on climate protection. It should reach its climate goals sooner. For example with solar panels and renovated buildings.

The platform stresses the public sector's role as a model and, at the same time, limited funds, so priorities are to be set together with the public. The state should move faster above all on solar expansion and energy-saving building renovation. The use of tax money is to be accounted for openly. The state's asset statement would be restructured so that all assets and debts are shown in balance-sheet form.

The Greens want to add sustainability reporting to the state's financial accounts and treat climate and environmental risks as financial risks. A sustainability ratio is to be calculated for the budget and raised over time. According to the platform, this would provide the transparency needed for budget decisions.

The Greens want Saxony's budget to be more sustainable. The state should report how sustainably it spends money. Risks from climate and the environment should be counted too. One number should show how sustainable the budget is. That number should go up every year.

The platform calls for identifying climate and environmental risks, putting a financial value on them and including them in the state's reports. Sustainability strategies are to cover economic, social and environmental aspects and also apply to companies in which the state holds a stake. Their financial situation is to be made transparent. The Sächsische Aufbaubank (Saxony's development bank) is to act as a role model and set a target plan for a portfolio that largely complies with the EU taxonomy, the EU's criteria for sustainable investments. It should share its knowledge openly where possible so that smaller banks can implement EU rules more easily.

The Greens want to evaluate the reformed property tax and adjust it where needed so that it reflects real conditions more accurately. The tax administration is also to focus more on audits and on-site presence. According to the platform, this would bring in more revenue without placing extra burdens on honest taxpayers.

The Greens want to take a close look at the new property tax. They want to change the rules if needed. Tax offices should also do more checks on site. This should bring in more money for the state. Honest people should not pay more because of it.

The platform says it will analyze the property tax reform and correct it if necessary. It notes that taxes make up most of the state's revenue and are largely collected at the state level. The tax administration is to shift its focus toward audits and on-site presence. This is meant to tap revenue that has so far gone uncollected.

The Greens want to fundamentally reform Saxony's debt brake and modernize the state's fiscal constitution. In the platform's view, the current rule holds back innovation, puts the state's attractiveness for business at risk and leaves it little room to act in downturns. Special funds are to be set up only for large, multi-year and unavoidable purposes.

The Greens want to change Saxony's debt brake a lot. The debt brake limits how much the state may borrow. The Greens say the rule is too strict. Saxony should be able to spend more in bad times. That way the state can help the economy better.

The new rule is to comply with Germany's Basic Law and EU requirements and be tied to actual economic developments in Saxony. The state should be able to respond to downturns and cushion economic hardship; the platform notes that other German states are more flexible. Through state-level politics, the Greens also want to push for changes to the Basic Law and to European rules. Special funds are to follow general budget law, including for spending plans. This is meant to keep budget authority with the state parliament.

The Greens want to give Saxony's municipalities better base funding and more financial leeway. To do so, they want to reform the state's fiscal equalization law in particular. According to the platform, the goal is for cities and towns to be able to carry out both mandatory tasks and voluntary public services over the long term.

The Greens want to give cities and towns more money. To do that, they want to change a law. The law sets how the state shares money with towns. Towns should decide for themselves what they need the money for. For new tasks, they should get the needed money right away.

The platform calls for a review of how much money municipalities actually need. The Finanzausgleichsgesetz (FAG, the fiscal equalization law) is to be changed so that municipalities can handle their tasks with less red tape and on their own responsibility. Incentives that work against the UN Sustainable Development Goals are to be reduced, and services such as nature conservation and funds for climate adaptation are to be built in permanently. Grant programs for mandatory tasks are to be moved into regular fiscal equalization. Costs of new mandatory tasks imposed by the federal or state government are to be covered fully and without delay.