27.8.02022

Post photo: Girl with European flag | © Shutterstock

EU funding programs

Hardly any municipality or larger company, let alone agriculture, still invests in larger projects if they are not supported in advance with EU funds.

And most of the companies and organizations active in the "social sector" also rely firmly on the transfer payments from Brussels. As we can see from the constant statements made by the current President of the Commission - regardless of the topic - it is always in the trillions that she is no longer concerned with a few billion euros.

Within the EU and also in Heilbronn (!), no public investment has been imaginable for a long time without the appropriate funding flowing in first. It has probably not escaped the attention of the more attentive fellow citizens that even the state and federal subsidies that are so readily accepted have long been de facto EU funds. Most citizens only really become aware of this when a national politician wants to distribute gifts of money, but the EU puts a stop to him — unfortunately, the EU has traditionally been given the buck.

It is handled differently when the EU money does flow, because then it is sold to the citizen as "personal gifts of money" from the local politician.

But in order not to give rise to false views: the EU funds are also tax money, these, like all other taxes, are generated entirely and entirely by the citizens! In the EU, too, there is no money-cracker that everyone has been longing for for centuries.

And so we have to accept that every government financial transaction is a redistribution, from one citizen's pocket to another citizen's pocket - although in the EU there are a good 500 million pockets and thus a somewhat more complex matter.

In order not to always let the EU stand there as the buck, it was decided years ago that if the EU subsidies flow directly, this must also be communicated to the citizens. Therefore, all projects that benefit from the EU must at least be provided with an EU logo!

And until recently, interested citizens could also read on the Internet which municipality or which company benefited directly from the EU funding programs. Here I had to realize that I can no longer find this list for Baden-Württemberg.

Just as I - with a single exception at Arkus - have not yet found any indications of EU funding programs in Heilbronn. I can't imagine that Heilbronn is the only city in the world whose citizens, companies, clubs and organizations receive little or no EU funding.

In less than 20 months, we Union citizens will again be electing the European Parliament, also in Heilbronn. And so it would be particularly important for all of us to know how we Heilbronn are already benefiting from the EU. Especially because there are politicians in Heilbronn who like to claim that we Heilbronners finance the rest of the world.

That's why it would be good for all of us if the flags of the European Union could also be found in Heilbronn - I would attest to anyone who prevents this from having a basic fascist attitude!

gratifying

Today, reading the newspaper from the Heilbronn Voice (27.08.2022: 30) sweetened my breakfast, namely when I heard a few sensible demands from the CDU parliamentary group from their summer talks Joachim Friedl the ace.

The CDU is not only calling for a return to 50 km/h within the city, but is also making concrete suggestions as to which streets should be used immediately. I, too, am convinced that this will improve the flow of traffic overall and, as a result, also better protect the environment.

Another requirement is the return of the green arrow at traffic lights. These were also completely senselessly dismantled near my home, which leads to longer waiting times during which most drivers do not switch off their engines.

I was even happier that the CDU parliamentary group continues to stand by the former plans and full-bodied promises to the citizens of the northern core city (my home!) and the Paula Fuchs Allee with a connection to Hafenstraße wants to build as planned. This is the only way to ensure that, on the one hand, the streets and alleys around Gerberstraße find some relief and, on the other hand, Neckar arch can be developed as a fully-fledged district.

The statement by the CDU parliamentary group leader gives me hope Thomas Randeckerthat “in some offices something [has crept] in that we cannot like at all. ... The municipal council as a whole needs to present itself more confidently again. After all, we are the sovereign.”

Small side note: we all together are the sovereign! We then elect our representatives, who are also our “employees”.

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