Cantonal Council SO Solothurn parliament siphons off less money from rich municipalities

In the canton of Solothurn, the donor municipalities will have to pay slightly less money into the financial equalization pot in 2025 than this year. However, the minimum funding for the financially weaker municipalities will remain the same following a decision by the cantonal parliament.

As proposed by the government, the cantonal council voted by a large majority on Tuesday to reduce the levy rate from 37 to 36 percent. This will reduce the burden on resource-rich municipalities by CHF 0.76 million, as the government wrote in its message. It is budgeted to redistribute 75.0 million francs with the cantonal equalization of finances and burdens.

39 municipalities pay contributions, 68 municipalities receive equalization payments. According to the cantonal council's decision, the so-called minimum funding threshold remains at 91 percent. In Swiss francs, this means that the financially weakest municipalities should have an amount of at least CHF 2682 per inhabitant available for 2025.

The system depends on donor and recipient municipalities feeling that they are being treated fairly, said Cantonal Councillor Brigit Wyss (Greens). That is why it is important to keep adjusting the rates.

Richer get richer, poor stay poor?

The municipalities are doing well financially, in contrast to the canton, which is planning savings measures of CHF 60 million a year, said Simon Bürki on behalf of the SP parliamentary group. By lowering the levy rate, "the rich would become richer and the poor would remain poor". The SP therefore demanded that the 37% rate be retained. The cantonal council rejected this proposal by 59 no to 30 yes.

Last year, the government had already proposed lowering the levy to 36% for the 2024 financial equalization scheme. However, because it also wanted to reduce the minimum level to 90 percent, the proposal did not receive a majority in the cantonal parliament at the time.