Budget Amsterdam 2025
Over the past three years, we have consistently advocated for a future-proof budget for Amsterdam. Fortunately, we now finally see choices being made with a view to the long term. Although Amsterdam is moving forward progressively in Budget 2025, we remain critical of important issues such as the maintenance of public space, the affordability of housing for starters and young families, and the low-threshold accessibility of municipal services.
With less money coming from the state, Amsterdam has to make savings and raise taxes. We understand this, but it is important that it is future-oriented. A good example of non-future-oriented cuts are the cuts in maintenance of public spaces. With a city growing rapidly and an increasingly unpredictable climate, this is a risky choice: overdue maintenance will cost the city dearly, in the long run.
Another choice of the college with potentially major consequences is the increase in property tax (ozb). This may hit hard for some Amsterdam residents. But until now, residents of Amsterdam have paid relatively less than residents of other large cities. Therefore, we understand the choice of the college to increase these taxes. However, we think it is important that there is consideration for people who may not be able to afford this, such as the elderly with small pensions, starters on the housing market or families already struggling to make ends meet.
Positive are the investments the college is making in energy transition, refugee and homeless shelters and combating the teacher shortage. A specific example is the investment in our grid capacity. If Amsterdam does not invest now in solving capacity problems on the power grid, the lights will literally go out at your home in 2028. The fact that extra money is now being made available for this means that the municipality of Amsterdam is finally looking ahead. And that is necessary, because the municipality must ensure that energy will remain available and affordable for all Amsterdam residents. So we must invest now for the future of Amsterdam.
Deficits from the state and investments in the city
The 2025 budget also shows that Amsterdam takes the blows of failing national policies in areas such as shelter, care and poverty reduction. Whereas the government makes incomprehensible choices and terminates the government's contribution to the bed-bath-bread scheme, we in Amsterdam know that without this form of shelter, the very people who need care will end up on the streets. We are therefore relieved that this shelter can be continued next year. However, we are very concerned about how things will continue after 2026.
Focus on 2025
Budget cuts should not be at the expense of involving Amsterdam residents in choices about their living environment.
Amsterdam is moving in the right direction, but big steps still need to be taken, as was seen in the discussions about the referendum and the wind turbines. By involving Amsterdam citizens in the choices and dilemmas of the city, you create support and trust for the necessary transitions.
Finally, it strikes us that the EU and Europe barely feature in the budget, even though both are important to Amsterdam. Many challenges, such as problems caused by air traffic and surplustourism, had better be tackled together. We will continue to insist on this and will ensure that the EU and Europe are explicitly considered when looking for solutions on these kinds of problems.
In the coming years we will continue to work on our ambitions for Amsterdam. An Amsterdam in which everyone can participate and in which Amsterdam citizens have confidence. An Amsterdam that remains livable, safe and connective for all its (future) inhabitants. An Amsterdam that, with an eye for the welfare of all Amsterdam citizens, works towards progress and solutions for the great challenges of our future.