Economic crisis in Marburg: IHK warns of impending personnel loss!

The economic Situation in Marburg is again the focus of public discussions. Economic representatives express violent criticism of the city's financial and economic policy course. Andreas W. Ditze, board member of the IHK Kassel-Marburg, warns of a "total misjudgment" of the situation in the private sector. Entrepreneurs point out several problems, including an aging personnel base, the reverberation of workers by the state, increasing minimum wages as well as high energy and material prices.

In the area of ​​this debate, the city announced an increase in trade tax, although there had previously been a temporary reduction. Ditze predicts that the profits of the companies will fall, which in turn could lead to lower trade tax revenue. Furthermore, the IHK criticizes the city's personnel policy and calls for an end to the "personnel inflation" of the administration.

approval processes and company interests

The long approval times for photovoltaic systems and construction projects contribute to uncertainty and lead to a decline in interest in new construction or expansion projects. There is also a lack of commercial space for non-pharmaceutical operations in the city. A survey by the German Economy Institute (IW) shows alarming tendencies: 38% of the companies surveyed plan to reduce 2025 jobs, while 40% expect poorer business prospects. Only 23% of companies plan to increase their investments, while 40% even expect a decline.

The IHK Kassel-Marburg also criticizes the lack of ambitions on the part of the city to provide support to the local businesses. The criticism is particularly directed against the prioritization of cultural funding on the basic economic needs. An example that serves as a warning for the city is the change of location of the software company "Weclapp" to Gießen.

The trade tax plays a central role as a source of income for the city of Marburg. In recent discussions about a planned reduction in trade tax, which could affect almost a thousand companies in the region, entrepreneurs of the Marburg IHK regional assembly agree. You see the reduction as a sign of entrepreneur friendliness and strengthening the local economy. The magistrate's proposal is based on unexpected additional income that should also benefit the district and the district municipalities.

Peter Lather, Chairman of the IHK Regional Assembly Marburg, emphasizes the importance of these additional income for the financing of future investments in infrastructure, education, digitization and climate protection. In 2020, the Marburg economy financed around 43 % of the urban budget through trade tax. The reduction in trade tax is considered an important signal during corona pandemic, especially since retail and gastronomy are badly affected.