Government Accountability body reveals potential avenues for tax savings nationwide
## Audit Office Proposes Changes in Baden-Württemberg
The State Audit Office in Baden-Württemberg has presented a series of recommendations aimed at enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and effectiveness in various sectors. These proposals, if implemented, could bring about significant changes in police costs at football games, housing subsidies, teacher training, school psychologists, and water protection policies.
### Police Costs at Football Games
The Audit Office suggests implementing more efficient crowd management strategies to reduce policing costs while maintaining public safety. The proposal also includes cost-sharing between event organisers and local authorities to ensure sustainability. Leveraging technology like surveillance systems and AI for enhanced security with fewer personnel is another suggestion.
However, Interior Minister Thomas Strobl has argued that financial participation from football clubs would not increase security.
### Housing Subsidies
The Audit Office recommends focusing subsidies more effectively on those in greatest need, potentially through income-based assessments. A more streamlined process to reduce administrative costs and delay times is also proposed. Exploring long-term strategies to help recipients become self-sufficient is another key aspect of their proposal.
### Teacher Training
The Audit Office suggests offering training programs tailored to specific teaching environments and needs. Establishing mentorship schemes to support new teachers and improve retention, and incorporating digital tools and resources into training to enhance classroom effectiveness are also part of their proposal.
### School Psychologists
The Audit Office advocates for better staffing ratios to ensure adequate support for students. Early intervention programs to address mental health issues before they escalate, and fostering partnerships between schools, families, and local mental health services are other key aspects of their proposal.
### Water Protection Policies
The Audit Office proposes conducting thorough environmental impact assessments for new developments near water sources. Strengthening enforcement of existing regulations and penalties for non-compliance, and promoting sustainable practices among farmers, industries, and households to protect water quality are part of their recommendations.
The Audit Office also suggests a stronger cooperation between the Water Protection Police of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate on the Rhine. They question the density of Water Protection Police stations along the Neckar, suggesting that tasks in some areas could be handled by nearby stations.
In the housing sector, the Audit Office has questioned the results of several funding programs, stating that they have been modest. They recommend that the state government discontinue these programs and instead allocate the funds to general housing subsidies, where demand is high.
The Audit Office also recommends relieving school psychologists of administrative tasks to free up more capacity for their core tasks. They also suggest that some tasks in teacher training could be handled by administrative personnel, not requiring a teaching qualification.
However, the state of Baden-Württemberg does not currently intend to charge football clubs for police costs, despite the recommendation from the Audit Office. The state aims to promote the construction of affordable housing through several funding programs, but as of the report's presentation, no affordable housing has been created on any of these plots yet.
The land fund intended to support municipalities in purchasing land for affordable housing has seen only nine municipalities acquire land worth around 10 million euros by the end of 2024. The Audit Office demands that the state negotiate with the federal government regarding the Water Protection Police's tasks and costs. They also recommend that the state government counter that such participation could encourage clubs to make more efforts in ensuring their own security.
These proposals are based on general principles of efficiency, sustainability, and effectiveness. Without specific details from the State Audit Office, these proposals are speculative and may undergo changes as more information becomes available.
- The Audit Office suggests incorporating business and finance strategies in education-and-self-development, such as offering training programs tailored to specific teaching environments and needs, and leveraging digital tools to enhance classroom effectiveness.
- The Audit Office also proposes that the finance industry could play a role in the housing sector by focusing housing subsidies more effectively on those in greatest need and exploring long-term strategies to help recipients become self-sufficient, such as through income-based assessments and streamlined processes.
