SPD on finance and taxes

The SPD wants to keep the reduced value-added tax rate of 7 percent for restaurants and hotels. It says it will oppose any return to 19 percent.

Restaurants and hotels have a low sales tax. It is 7 percent. The SPD wants to keep it that way. It is against raising it to 19 percent.

According to the program, the SPD successfully pushed at the federal level to keep the 7 percent rate. It intends to defend this against calls to tax restaurant meals or overnight stays at 19 percent again. The demand is part of the party's plans to strengthen tourism in the state.

Facing a need for savings in the billions, the SPD wants to prioritize policy projects by fixed criteria while continuing to invest. Structural reforms and a modernization of the state are to accompany the savings.

The state has to save a lot of money in the coming years. So the SPD wants to choose carefully what to pay for. Money should still go to education, roads, networks and climate protection. The administration should work more efficiently.

Spending is to be judged by whether it makes the state more capable, lowers social follow-up costs, strengthens economic value creation, enables integration into work, improves educational opportunities or secures infrastructure. Investments in education, infrastructure, digitization and climate protection are considered indispensable. The platform names more efficiency, cutting duplicate structures and a stronger focus on results. The SPD wants to work with the administration, business and unions on this.

The SPD wants to achieve at the federal level that large fortunes contribute more to funding public tasks and that work is taxed less heavily. A reinstated wealth tax is to have high exemptions and spare business assets.

The SPD wants very rich people to pay more tax. For that, a tax on large fortunes should return. Small and medium fortunes should stay tax-free. The money should lower the charges on work.

High exemptions are meant to leave small and medium fortunes untouched. Productive business assets are to be treated in a way that protects investment, jobs and mid-sized companies. Any room gained is to relieve employees and companies on social insurance contributions. The SPD also backs federal reforms of income, inheritance and wealth taxation for greater tax fairness.

With the MV-Plan 2035, the SPD wants to invest about 1.92 billion euros in additional funds together with the municipalities. Faster planning, less bureaucracy and simpler procurement are meant to make the money take effect quickly.

The SPD wants to invest a lot of money with the MV-Plan 2035. It is about 1.92 billion euros. The money comes from a special federal fund. Small and poor towns should also benefit.

The money comes from the special fund and is to go into key future-oriented areas of the state. Every municipality receives 50,000 euros so that very small and financially weak places also benefit. Funding guidelines are to be as lean as possible so that financially weak municipalities can use the money. Planning and procurement are to be sped up and bureaucracy reduced.