Grüne on finance and taxes

The Greens do not want to sell state land and buildings to relieve the budget in the short term. Instead, the state would buy land where possible to expand universities or promote social housing.

The state owns land and buildings. The Greens do not want to sell them for quick money. The state should rather buy new land. Universities can grow there or affordable homes can be built.

Every planned sale would be examined strictly. The program rejects sales made only for quick budget relief. Purchases would serve university expansion and targeted social housing.

The Greens want to reorient debt policy so that states may borrow for net investment. Until the Basic Law is amended, investment companies are to finance municipal projects such as school and housing construction.

The Greens want to change the rules on debt. The states should be allowed to borrow money for investments. Investments are things like new schools. Until then, special companies should raise the money.

The platform acknowledges that the Schuldenbremse (debt brake) allowed borrowing in crises and emergency loans in the pandemic, but sees a need for a new direction. As long as the Basic Law does not let states borrow for investment, a concept for investment companies is to be developed. These would mainly fund municipal projects such as schools and housing. According to the platform, fiscal policy must also invest in education, climate protection and infrastructure, while only what can be financed can be carried out.

The Greens want to fight tax fraud, narrow loopholes and keep demanding that very high incomes contribute more to financing the state. This includes a modern tax administration, an anonymous digital inbox for tips, and the purchase of tax data.

The Greens want to fight tax fraud. People with very high incomes should pay more tax. People should be able to report fraud online without giving their name. The state should also be allowed to buy tax data.

The platform puts the annual damage from tax fraud in Germany at an estimated 50 billion euros. A central digital inbox for fraud reports is to be set up, allowing anonymous tips and follow-up questions; specially trained tax investigators will review them. The tax administration is to work digitally, transparently and in a citizen-friendly way, with effective investigations and prompt audits. The Greens will keep pressing at the federal level for a higher burden on very high incomes, since this was not achieved when the federal government was formed.

The Greens want to orient the state's financial system toward sustainability. State guarantees are to follow climate protection goals, the state is to issue green bonds, and savings bank boards are to have a minimum qualification in sustainability.

The Greens want the state to invest its money sustainably. The state should put no money into nuclear power, coal, oil or gas. Bosses and supervisors of savings banks should know about sustainability. Schools should teach more about sustainable finance.

The platform points to the state law on a sustainable investment strategy (FINISH) and wants to stay on that course. State guarantees issued through development banks are to be tied to sustainability and climate protection, with nuclear and fossil energy excluded. The public-interest mandate of the Sparkassen (savings banks) is to be defined more precisely. Green bonds are planned, possibly jointly with municipalities and other states, along with stronger consumer protection for financial investments. Sustainable economics is to be anchored in curricula, vocational training and universities; further professorships in pluralist economics and support for a federal social impact fund financed from dormant assets are also planned.

The Greens want to give municipalities more room to invest and support them through investment companies in the areas of schools, social housing and the shift to climate-friendly heating. The party backs a nationwide fund to pay down old municipal debt, with conditions.

Towns and cities should be able to invest more money. The Greens want to help them. This is about schools, affordable housing and climate-friendly heating. The federal government should set up a fund for old town debts.

Municipalities should be able to use favorable borrowing conditions to work off their investment backlog. Towns whose budgets are under state supervision should also get more options for sustainable investment. Investment companies would support municipalities in schools, social housing and the heating transition. If the municipal fiscal equalization system is reformed again, incentives for nature and climate protection would be added. The party supports the federal plan for an old-debt repayment fund but wants state and municipal debt considered together so that Schleswig-Holstein's municipalities are not put at a disadvantage.