CHF 329.7 million - the canton's contribution to the National Equalisation Fund next year

The amounts contributing cantons will have to pay, and those benefiting cantons will receive, in 2020 were published last week. Speaking in his capacity as director of finance for the canton of Zug, Heinz Tännler said he was pleased the figure Zug would have to pay had not increased significantly.

The amount Zug is expected to pay next year is CHF 329.7 million, compared with CHF 329.4 million this year. At least this is much lower than in 2017, when it reached CHF 341.3 million. As to the contribution per capita, this will amount to CHF 2,685 in 2020, compared with CHF 2,727 this year.

Out of interest, four out of the six cantons which make up central Switzerland, namely Obwalden, Nidwalden, Schwyz and Zug, are all contributing cantons, with Uri and Lucerne both benefiting. The other three cantons which contribute are those of Zurich, the City of Basel and the Republic and Canton of Geneva, to give it its official title.

At CHF 516.9 million, Zurich will actually contribute the most next year. 

The canton which will benefit the most in 2020 remains that of Bern, and indeed to the tune of CHF 1.1 billion, though this amount is still CHF 86 million less than this year.

Of the two central Swiss cantons which benefit from the fund, Lucerne is to receive CHF 155.5 million (CHF 5.2 million less than this year) and Uri CHF 63.5 million (CHF 4.3 million less than this year). The cantonal director of finance in Lucerne, Hansjörg Kaufmann, said that the figures were not unexpected and was pleased to note that the canton was becoming less dependent on the fund.

The canton hit the most is Schwyz, which in 2020 is having to pay CHF 220 million, CHF 20.6 million more than this year, though as the financial director there, Kaspar Michel, explained, this increase had been taken into consideration in planning.

As mentioned, Tännler was relieved the figure for Zug was not higher and added that the canton had benefited from amendments relating to how the funding is calculated by the national parliament.

The table shows the figures for a selection of cantons in recent years, the + sign indicating the cantons which contribute, the - sign indicating the cantons which benefit. The second figure in each column denotes the per capita contribution.