What do the parties in Hamburg say on finance and taxes?

The AfD wants to abolish the Grundsteuer (property tax) in the long term. In its view, the new property tax model has increased the burden on tenants and owner-occupiers and creates heavy administrative costs. Young families would pay no real estate transfer tax on their first home purchase.

Homeowners pay property tax every year. Renters pay it through their extra costs. The AfD wants to get rid of this tax. It says the new rules are too costly and complex. Young families should pay less tax on their first home.

The AfD wants to cut Hamburg's trade tax multiplier in a measured way. It notes that at 470, Hamburg has the highest burden compared with other states, and it wants to boost growth through tax cuts.

Companies in Hamburg pay a local business tax. The AfD thinks this tax is too high. It wants to lower it a bit. This should help the economy grow. But only if the city can afford it.

The AfD wants to disclose and reduce Hamburg's debt, allow no special off-budget funds, and stop spending on what it calls political experiments. Politicians and agency heads should also be personally liable for misusing public funds, and grants to activists in NGOs should be cut.

Hamburg has a lot of debt. The AfD wants to lower it. There should be no side budgets. Politicians who waste money should pay for it themselves. Groups of political activists should get less money.

The AfD wants to scrap a number of small excise and local taxes, including those on sparkling wine, coffee, entertainment, hunting and second homes, and above all the beer tax. It considers them costly to administer and insignificant for the budget.

There are many small taxes. For example on sparkling wine, coffee and beer. The AfD wants to get rid of them. It says they cause a lot of work. But they bring in little money.

The CDU wants to use the Bundesrat (the chamber of the states) to bring back the reduced 7 percent value-added tax rate for restaurants. This ties into its goal of strengthening restaurants and retail in the city center.

The CDU wants to lower the sales tax for restaurants. It should be 7 percent again. The CDU wants to push for this in the Bundesrat. The Bundesrat represents the German states.

The CDU wants to cut Hamburg's real estate transfer tax from 5.5 to 3.5 percent. This is meant to relieve buyers and trigger investment. At the federal level, it wants the tax suspended for a first purchase of a home the buyer lives in.

People who buy a house or land pay a tax. In Hamburg it is 5.5 percent of the price. The CDU wants to lower it to 3.5 percent. For a first home of your own, it should later be dropped entirely.

The CDU commits to the debt brake in Hamburg's constitution and wants to limit spending and staff growth in the administration. Investments in the future should still be possible without raising taxes for residents and businesses.

The CDU wants no new debt for Hamburg. The city should spend less money. The administration should not keep adding staff. Taxes should not go up.

The CDU wants to stop the growth of activities and debt outside the core budget and to increase transparency. The city's stakes in companies are to be reviewed wherever there is no important state interest.

The city of Hamburg owns shares in many companies. The CDU wants to check these shares. It asks: does the city really need this company? The city budget should also become clearer. The budget is the plan for income and spending.

The CDU wants to channel available budget funds into infrastructure and into Hamburg's strength as a place for science and business. To do so, it wants to attract more private money and make the administration more efficient.

The CDU wants to put more money into roads, buildings and research. The money should come from savings. Private investors should also take part. The administration should use fewer offices. New jobs should only be created if tasks are dropped elsewhere.

The CDU wants to award public funding in a targeted way rather than spreading it widely. Large programs and investments are to get goals up front and be checked for cost-effectiveness, with a later review of whether the goals were met.

The CDU wants to hand out funding in a more targeted way. Big projects should have clear goals from the start. The city should check whether a project is worth the money. Later it should check whether the goal was reached. City building projects should also be better organized.

The Greens want to expand the maintenance management system for city infrastructure and fund it permanently. It is meant to ensure regular servicing, repair and renewal. The party expects this to keep facilities in good condition and lower costs in the long run.

Roads, bridges and parks need care. Hamburg has a fixed system for this. The Greens want to expand it. There should be enough money for it. That way the city saves costs later.

The Greens want to make speculation in land less attractive through tax law. At the federal level, they are pushing for a longer period before rented properties can be sold tax-free, an end to the share-deal loophole and valuations closer to market value for inheritance tax.

Some people buy land only to sell it at a higher price. The Greens want to make this harder with taxes. People who sell a rented property are to pay tax on the profit for longer. Big companies are no longer to avoid the tax on purchases.

The Greens want the use of the Kultur- und Tourismustaxe (culture and tourism tax) to be evaluated and the parliament to have a say. A larger share of the money should go to new concepts and to resource savings, energy efficiency and accessibility in the sector.

Hotel guests in Hamburg pay a charge called the culture and tourism tax. It brings in 25 million euros a year. The Greens want to check what the money is spent on. The city parliament should help decide. More money should go to new and eco-friendly ideas.

The Greens want to keep allowing loans for investments that pay off while limiting interest costs through long-term borrowing. Companies providing essential public services are to stay in public hands, while other city-owned firms without a public purpose are to be sold.

The Greens want to handle the city's money carefully. The city may take loans for investments that pay off. Important companies like the Hochbahn transit company should belong to the city. The party wants to sell other firms without a public purpose.

The Greens want to change the debt brake at the federal level so that credit-financed investments become possible. They also call for a federal investment fund because Hamburg cannot pay for renewing its infrastructure alone.

The Greens want to change the federal debt brake. The debt brake limits new government debt. The state should be allowed to borrow for investments. The federal government should also create a fund for investments.

The Greens want to push at the federal level for reinstating the wealth tax and reforming the inheritance tax. Loopholes in inheritance, property and real estate transfer taxes are to be closed and the tax offices strengthened.

The Greens want a tax on large fortunes again. The tax on inheritances should also change. Big corporations should no longer get advantages when buying land. People buying their first own home should pay less tax. The tax offices should become stronger.

The Left wants to abolish the debt brake in Hamburg and at the federal level to allow much more public investment. In the party's view, strong government stimulus is needed to overcome the economic crisis.

The debt brake limits new government debt. The Left wants to get rid of it. Then the city can spend more money. For example on schools, health, and the environment. People with little money should get help with buying things.

The Left wants to tax very high incomes, inheritances, and wealth more heavily and calls on the Senate to push for a wealth tax and an effective inheritance tax. The tax administration should be expanded to fund social programs and public services.

Very rich people should pay more taxes. The Left wants the wealth tax back. The money would go to the city of Hamburg. The tax office should get more staff. It should audit big companies and millionaires more often.

The SPD wants people of all ages to remain able to afford life in Hamburg. To that end, the real estate transfer tax is to be cut for young families, construction made cheaper, and a public transit ticket for seniors introduced.

The SPD wants Hamburg to stay affordable. Young families should pay less tax when they buy a home. Building should get cheaper. Older people should get their own ticket for buses and trains.

The SPD wants to invest about 20 billion euros in city infrastructure by 2030 while sticking to sound finances. The leeway allowed by the debt brake is to be used for this.

The SPD wants to spend about 20 billion euros by 2030. The money is for roads, buses and trains, schools and playgrounds. The city should still handle its money carefully. The rules on debt should be followed.

The SPD wants to push at the federal level for a reform of the debt brake that also gives the states more options. It argues that investment mostly happens locally.

The debt brake limits how much the state may borrow. The SPD wants to change this rule. The German states should also get more room. They are the ones who build and invest locally.

The SPD wants to secure the city's revenue base and insists that federal tax cuts be soundly financed and targeted at the working middle class. Under the inheritance tax, very large inheritances should no longer be able to go largely untaxed.

The city needs tax money for its tasks. The SPD wants to protect this money. People who inherit a great deal should pay tax on it. Tax cuts should mainly help ordinary workers. Top earners should not get tax gifts.

The SPD pledges that the city will not collect more overall from the reformed property tax than before. If the municipal multipliers turn out too high, they are to be lowered.

The property tax has new rules. The SPD promises this: the city will not take in more money than before. This holds for housing and for businesses. If the tax is too high, the city will lower it again.

The SPD wants to give families a reduced real estate transfer tax rate of 3.5 percent on their first purchase of a home they live in. This depends on the federal government letting the states set this tax more flexibly.

People who buy a home pay a transfer tax. The SPD wants to lower this tax for families. It applies to the first home they buy to live in. The rate would then be 3.5 percent. First the federal government must change the rules.