Tallinn city government yesterday confirmed 2014 budget now to be processed by council – three percent larger year-on-year.
Tallinn budget brings municipal shop
28th November 2013, 17:23
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«Next year’s budget is €501m. Meaning we are nearing pre-crisis levels,» the mayor Edgar Savisaar said at city government press conference.
Compilers of the budget estimate income tax revenue to grow by 8 per cent. «We expect more and more people to end up in Tallinn population register. As linked, no doubt, to several services provided by the city,» said the mayor.
Of investments, Mr Savisaar mentioned completing the Tondiraba ice arena and designing the Mustamäe clinic. «Also, we want to start renovating a house which we call a doctors’ and nurses’ house. So that people who graduate from some school with medical education and come to work in medical institutions of Tallinn could, there, get a place to stay and thus remain in Tallinn. Secondly, we will establish Tallinn’s first municipal store,» promised Mr Savisaar.
Tram route No 4 will undergo reconstruction, from Pärnu Highway viaduct to Liberty Square.
The road-building boom will not continue, however. According to city finance director Katrin Kendra, the EU financing is down by 88 percent in next year budget revenue. «This is because the sectors, projects and their financing are as yet undecided for the new UE financing period. Maybe these we can reckon with in 2015 budget,» said she. For day to day and major repairs of roads, a total of €25m have been allotted.
The budget also prescribes renovations of kindergartens and establishing of module groups; as well as start of repairs of next schoolhouses. «Starting September, we want to increase City support of school lunches by half. Last year, we were planning to raise wages at sports establishments, no we’ll do it. But the greatest wage rise, ten percent, comes to kindergarten teachers starting September. City employees will get a rise averaging five percent. Employees at the zoo, and at cultural and sports institutions – four percent,» said Mr Savisaar.
The social jobs project is to continue, as well as renewal of computer fleets at schools and kindergartens. At Kopli occupational school, horticulture will be included.
According to Mr Savisaar, Tallinn has been encouraged in budget planning by recent decision by Fitch to affirm its credit rating, at A, with a stable outlook.