Parties largely recognize the functioning of financial equalization
Published: Monday, Jul 1st 2024, 10:50
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The majority of the major parties agree that the financial equalization between the Confederation and the cantons is working well. They base this on the 2020-2025 effectiveness report, which was in the consultation process until Monday. However, the SVP is demanding more commitment from the federal government for the resource-poor cantons.
It expects the federal government to show greater commitment to improving the framework conditions and promoting cooperation between the cantons, according to the SVP's statement on the 2020-2025 effectiveness report on financial equalization between the federal government and the cantons.
This should be achieved "through appropriate regulatory measures and not just through the distribution of federal funds". In view of the precarious state of federal finances, an increase in the federal share of the National Fiscal Equalization (NFA) is ruled out in the foreseeable future.
FDP in favor of unbundling responsibilities
The FDP is calling for the division of tasks between the Confederation and the cantons to be examined. According to the statement on the consultation, a critical assessment should be made of which tasks the federal government should still take on. If necessary, the responsibilities of the Confederation and the cantons should be separated. The party also believes that the resources of the cantons and the inequalities between the cantons should be examined in detail.
The center points out the importance of fiscal equalization for the cohesion of Switzerland. It welcomes the Federal Council's proposal to regulate tax redistribution in more detail in the ordinance in order to achieve a better distribution of the profit tax base among the cantons concerned and to create transparency.
SP points to ageing
From the SP's perspective, the 2020-2025 effectiveness report fails to mention that the ageing population is likely to further exacerbate the differences between the cantons. Due to the migration of the youngest population to urban centers, ageing is less pronounced in these centers, but is accelerating in the cantons of origin, which are weakened by the emigration of their youth and working population.
According to the SP, this leads to the production of wealth being concentrated in a few centers, while the need for financing (AHV pensions, supplementary benefits, care services) grows faster in the rural or peripheral cantons, where there is a lack of funds.
The SP also warns that the "pain threshold" of the donor cantons could shift. Moreover, these donor cantons make up only a minority of all cantons. Should the gap between donor and recipient cantons widen further, the federal government, as the main donor, would be burdened even more - with already scarce resources.
The Conference of Cantonal Governments (KdK) comes to the conclusion - like the FDP, Center Party and SP - that the objectives of financial equalization have been "largely achieved". However, a minority of cantonal governments are of the opinion that the differences between resource-poor and resource-strong cantons are becoming ever greater.
Mountain regions demand more burden sharing
On the one hand, the Swiss Working Group for Mountain Regions (SAB) states that the system of national financial equalization has "fundamentally proven itself". "However, the poles are drifting further and further apart", according to the SAB's consultation response. The inequalities between the cantons with the weakest and strongest resources are increasing.
According to the SAB, the current figures on financial equalization show that the cantons with weak resources were only not worse off thanks to transitional measures. The SAB is therefore calling for permanent compensation to be introduced and is proposing an increase in the geographical-topographical equalization of burdens.
This compensates for some of the special burdens of the mountain cantons. According to the SAB, 18 cantons currently benefit from this equalization of burdens. According to the SAB, the necessary financial resources for a permanent increase in the equalization of burdens will be available with the abolition of the transitional measures.
Compensation mainly financed by the federal government
The current equalization system was introduced in 2008 and adjusted in 2020. It mainly consists of the equalization of resources and the equalization of burdens. The federal government finances around two thirds and the cantons one third of the equalization payments.
Cantons that are excessively burdened by their population structure or central function are relieved by the socio-demographic equalization of burdens (SLA).
Cantons that have to bear an excessive burden due to their altitude, the steepness of the terrain or their specific settlement structure are relieved by the geographical-topographical equalization of burdens (GLA). SLA and GLA are fully financed by the federal government.
The Federal Council approved the 2020-2025 effectiveness report on financial equalization between the Confederation and the cantons on 15 March. In its view, the system of financial equalization works well in principle. According to a statement, the reform that came into force in 2020 and the adjustments resulting from the AHV tax proposal have proven their worth according to a preliminary assessment, but can only be evaluated in depth in the next period.
©Keystone/SDA
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