what awaits the taxpayers? This is the question that the Bavarian taxpayers’ association will be addressing on Wednesday evening in eggolsheim (pfister inn, 7 p.m.). thomas monius, a lawyer from forchheim, is chairman of the regional association forchheim and bamberg. In the interview, he talks about why this "honorary office" appeals to him still a lot of fun" – and what the work of the taxpayers’ association can achieve.
You have been chairman of the regional association for 25 years. on wednesday evening you will run for office again. What do you like so much about volunteering??
Monius: I’m a political person and my experience is that you don’t get very far with general political concerns. The technical path opened up by the taxpayers’ association, on the other hand, is very efficient. I am the only regional chairman who also advises the presidium. My considerations can therefore reach parliament relatively easily via the regional association and the federal association.
What are the consequences of your work in the ideal case??
In the past, I have succeeded in getting two entries in the black book. For example, the exploding costs of the chain bridge in bamberg. But entries in the black book are only the most conspicuous form of our work. The very fact that we exist is a means of discipline. Experience has shown that even the hint that a grievance could be reported to the taxpayers’ association can make a big difference. It’s not for nothing that our association has the honorary title of "financial conscience of the nation" – a title of honor that we have to earn over and over again, of course.
Hannah stein, vice president of her association, reports in eggolsheim on what awaits taxpayers. What do you think awaits him??
Hannah stein is our representative in berlin. It is very close to the topics of coalition negotiations and the coalition agreement. hannah stein will share the latest news on fiscal policy perspectives. I personally think that the current situation does not call for a tax increase at all. People are already being taxed as rich in the sense of the law, even though they are not. What we need is simplification. Tax law must become more transparent, so that everyone knows why they are being taxed.
"Vigilance is a civic duty is the motto of the association. Does your watchful eye also keep an eye on the situation in forchheim??
Yes, of course. We monitor the situation and follow up on many anonymous and also open tips. things have been going pretty well for many years in forchheim. I note that the resources of the citizens are carefully handled here.
Does that also apply, to take a current example, to the refurbishment of the ehrenburg grammar school??
The school renovation is delayed, but that doesn’t mean it’s a project we can evaluate. We are not the nation’s know-it-alls. If it would become a luxury renovation, then I would intervene. But it is not. I have the honorary citizenship topic on the monitor. But so far this is not a topic where you can talk about a waste of taxpayers’ money.