The council approved next year’s budget without changes.
Vantaa on Monday, the city council confirmed the city’s municipal tax at 6.4 percent, which caused some commotion during the meeting.
The representative of basic Finns Kai-Ari Lundell guessed that Vantaa’s hand has been left with a handi card in the municipal competition of the capital region. Espoo and Helsinki’s municipal tax will remain at 5.3 percent.
The direction of the tax rate should go downward, Lundell estimates.
Accredited Sakari Rokkanen (kok), the focus should be on the development of the city’s annual profit. The goal is that the city would have around 130 million euros left over in 2025, when operating expenses are deducted from income.
“In next year’s budget preparation, we will probably see at what level the annual margin will finally settle. It helps us to know how much leeway we have to make political choices.”
During the negotiations of the political groups, additions of approximately 1.5 million euros were made to the city’s more than one billion euro budget.
Vantaa has numerous big construction projects in the next few years: Vantaa’s trolley, Jokiniemi’s learning campus, Myyrmäki spatial arrangements and the development of Kuusijärvi.
Council also discussed About the failed renovation of the Hakunila sports field and about the investments in the Kuusijärvi recreation area, which were criticized as expensive especially by the Basic Finns at the meeting.
The repair plans for the Hakunila sports field are to be completed next spring, so that the field can be repaired for the summer.
Accredited Ulla Kaukola (sd) listed all the times when Kuusijärvi’s plans have been discussed in detail in various boards where representatives of basic Finns have been present.
“I would hope that the trustees of basic Finns on the boards would read the project plans, where all the information has been detailed,” Kaukola said.
Accredited Antero Eerola (left) emphasized that all groups would have had the opportunity to ask questions about Kuusijärvi, but the Left Alliance did. According to Eerola, the answers were thorough.
Mayor Pekka Timonen estimates that communication should be improved in such a way that misunderstandings would not arise due to too laconic turns of phrase, as in the case of Kuusijärvi.
“We wouldn’t talk about Kuusijärvi’s smoke sauna, but about saunas in the plural. We’re not talking about a barbecue shelter, but a beach route. We’re not talking about a sledding hill, but a lighted fitness trail,” Timonen explained.
The city plans to renovate various sites in Kuusijärvi with a total of 3.5 million euros over the next four years. A tender will be held for the construction.
The council approved the budget proposal without changes, and confirmed the tax rates.
Significant investments in 2024
■ Elmo swimming pool (19 million)
■ Vantaa tram (9 million)
■ Kuusijärvi’s new saunas and toilets (1.5 million)
■ Renovation of the cultural factory Vernissa (7 million)
■ Renovation of the Håkansböle mansion (1.2 million)
■ 4 new kindergartens
■ 5 school expansions or repairs, including the expansion of Vaskivuori high school (2.75 million) and the renovation of Kytöpuisto school (5.75 million)
The construction of the Vantaa trolleybus may start next year if the state’s participation in the financing is secured.
Key figures for Vantaa in 2024
■ total inhabitants 251,235 (forecast 31.12.2024)
■ deficit for the financial year -€3.5 million
■ income financing of investments 57%
■ tax revenue €2,436/inhabitant
■ operating expenses €4,104/inhabitant
■ loan base €3,408/inhabitant,
■ loan base of the group (85 entities) €8,597/inhabitant (2022 financial statements)
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