Municipality records deficit of CHF 1.5 million

For the past 20 years the municipality of Walchwil has been able to record a surplus. Unfortunately, for the year 2017 it has had to record a deficit of CHF 1.5 million.

In precise terms, the municipality’s income for that year amounted to CHF 20.1 million, with outgoings of CHF 21.6 million, hence the deficit. Only CHF 15 million, the lowest amount for ten years, was able to be raised through tax, though it is thought this will start to rise again; the municipality’s tax threshold remains at 55%.

The outgoings for 2017, which included funding for the extension of the Lienisberg sports facilities, the renovation of the shooting range and the acquisition of two new vehicles, one of which was fire engine, have in fact been the lowest since 2012. Even so, reserve funds had to be drawn on to be able to pay for them all, and this despite the fact that the municipality did not have to contribute so much to the Cantonal Equalisation Fund last year.

For the retiring mayor, Tobias Hürlimann, who is also head of finance, it is the first time he has had to record a deficit. However, income, too, has been falling repeatedly over the past few years, from CHF 27.1 million in 2014, to CHF 26.7 million in 2015, and to CHF 24 million in 2016.

One big problem for the municipality has been the uncertainty over the SBB’s plans to construct an additional line on this eastern side of the lake. At present the matter is with judges at the Swiss Federal Court in Lausanne and has been for some 12 months now. If it were to go ahead, this would have a huge impact on Walchwil’s links to public transport as the existing line would have to be closed for around 18 months while work went ahead. This has also led to people hesitating over whether they might move to the municipality, where population fell by ten last year.