Rhineland-Palatinate is represented in the taxpayers' association's black book with a number of cases. The range extends from increasing the size of the state parliament presidium to a red light container in Trier. In the black book, the taxpayers' association lists 100 cases nationwide in which it sees a waste of public money.
Trier is represented twice this time - with the red light container and a building with mold infestation. The city installed the rented container for sex workers in an industrial area. But it always remained locked, writes the taxpayers' association, and in order to use it, prostitutes had to pick up the key at the town hall or an office. However, no one has done this in more than two years.
The taxpayers' association writes that costs of almost 15,000 euros were incurred. “Aside from the tax money: this campaign actually didn’t help anyone.”
Container for sex workers has been removed again
When asked, the city said the city council had asked the administration to create safe conditions for sex workers in street prostitution. The administration then set up the container with a meeting room and separate toilet in April 2023. According to the city, the rental costs were around 5,600 euros per year.
The city explained that every opportunity was used to make prostitutes aware of this. But there was no demand. "The administration assumes that this has to do with the fundamental trend away from street prostitution towards offering sexual services on the digital network as well as in hotels and private apartments." The city council then decided to dismantle the container at the end of 2025.
Mold on toilet in basement
The second Trier case revolves around a rented school building that, according to the taxpayers' association, has been unused for more than two years because of mold infestation in a toilet in the basement. The city cannot get out of the rental agreement. The taxpayers' association calculated that there would be a risk of spending around 790,000 euros over a period of five years. In addition, there would be around 1.5 million euros for room modules.
The city said it was taking the criticism expressed and the associated financial aspects seriously. “From the city’s perspective, the building is still not suitable for school use.” Health standards are crucial for this.
“When looking for a successor use, it unfortunately became apparent that this was not so easy due to the public perception of the building (“mould-contaminated”),” writes the city. It is now planned that parts of the building will be used by a municipal office that needs more space. The move is currently underway.
Criticism of the bicycle tower in Frankenthal – municipality explained
A thorn in the side of the taxpayers' association is also a "bicycle tower de luxe", as it is called, in Frankenthal. The tower with storage space for 96 bikes cost around 1.3 million euros, the equivalent of around 13,500 euros per parking space. In addition, there is an annual operating deficit of 30,000 euros.
In a statement from the city it is said that the tower must be considered in the context of the development of the station area and mobility. Different types of transport would have to be considered together; pedestrian traffic, bicycles, buses and trains as well as individual motorized transport would have to be linked together.
City: Tower should offer many parking spaces in a small space
The bike tower is a component of the mobility infrastructure. Because the space at the train station is limited, the aim was to offer as many secure parking spaces as possible in a small area. 97.7 percent of the costs were funded through the state's municipal investment program for climate protection and innovation (KIPKI). “Without this high level of funding, the bicycle parking tower would not have been implemented in this form.” The tower was never designed as a profit-oriented individual project.
Three instead of two vice presidents of the state parliament
At the state level, the Black Book criticizes the fact that the new state parliament has three vice presidents instead of the previous two. “This partisan vanity costs more than 150,000 euros per year,” complains the Rhineland-Palatinate Taxpayers’ Association.
Matthias Lammert (CDU) has been the President of the State Parliament since mid-May. His three vice-presidents are Marion Schneid (CDU), Jaqueline Rauschkolb (SPD) and Katharina Binz (Greens). Lammert justified the increase by saying, among other things, that it is important, especially in times when democracy is under pressure, to reach out to citizens along with Parliament. Three vice-presidents could attend more such appointments. Three deputies are also very helpful in the event of illness; meetings last long and leading them requires the utmost concentration. The increase will be partially offset financially.
Endless topic of special holidays
The special leave for state employees, which has been discussed for a long time, also appears in the Black Book. The taxpayers' association criticized that the people did not receive official salaries during this time, but the special leave was counted towards a higher pension. The former opposition CDU called this a scandal during the state election campaign, but after the election victory the special leave that had already been approved would still remain in place.
The State Chancellery under Prime Minister Gordon Schnieder of the CDU declared some time ago that it would not approve any new special vacations; existing ones were under the responsibility of the previous government.
The Taxpayers' Association is a private association that politically advocates, among other things, the efficient use of tax money and sound state finances. He lobbies for this in the Bundestag and with highly publicized campaigns. The Taxpayers' Association emphasizes that it is politically neutral.
The Black Book is controversial. It is criticized for merely listing spectacular individual cases, but often ignoring their context and not drawing a representative overall picture of tax waste. Authorities and municipalities named therein often defend themselves against the allegations and justify their financial decisions.
