The Taxpayers' Association has listed and criticized seven cases from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in its black book. Incorrectly used funding, dream projects and a lack of profitability put a strain on taxpayers, the association concluded.
Among other things, the purchase of 52 hydrogen buses with two filling stations and around 25 million in funding was criticized. State subsidies would have steered public transport in the Rostock district towards a technology that causes permanently higher operating and energy costs compared to battery-electric buses. The hydrogen economy required for this has not materialized, which would result in higher costs in the long term.
The Rostock district, which contributed 7.8 million euros to the vehicle funding, and the Rebus transport company, which belongs to the district, rejected the representation. “The decision in favor of hydrogen buses was not a mistake, but the result of a comprehensive examination of various drive technologies,” says Thomas Nienkerk, Managing Director of Rebus Regionalbus Rostock GmbH.
The claim that Rebus will have to bear permanently higher operating and energy costs for years to come is simply wrong. On the contrary, the current price for hydrogen is lower than the price of diesel per 100 kilometers.
The general assessment of the funding as a bad investment is incomprehensible, especially since the grants amounting to 7.8 million euros are available from the district regardless of the type of drive.
The BdST also criticized the discounted Germany ticket for seniors over 65 in MV. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania offers a reduced price on the Deutschlandticket for seniors of a certain age. People over 65 years of age are eligible. The state will cover 20 euros of the D-Ticket, which previously cost 63 euros. However, the price will rise to 66.80 euros on January 1, 2027.
Whether a small pension or a high pension: the support is granted regardless of income and assets, notes the BdST. Even if the relief for needy seniors is right, the flat-rate discount for all people based only on the year of birth is an expensive subsidy with a watering can.
The responsible Ministry of Economic Affairs and Transport emphasized, however, that an individual examination of income and assets would cause considerable additional bureaucratic effort and make it more difficult to access the offer at a deliberately low threshold.
In a large state like Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, affordable mobility for older people is particularly important. More than 44,000 seniors used the senior ticket. This means that the number of users has doubled since its introduction. The high demand shows that the offer is very well received in the country.
There are another five entries on the MV list in the Black Book. It's about the expensive business trip of a district administrator, a castle renovation in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, the bypass of the B105 Mönchhagen/Rövershagen, plans for a state horticultural show in Schwerin and the rabbitwerder island in Schwerin's inner lake.
