© Landesarchiv Berlin / Wunstorf
In its meeting today, the Berlin Senate approved the draft state budget for the years 2024 and 2025. It will subsequently be discussed by the committees of the Berlin House of Representatives in autumn and is to be passed by parliament in December. With a volume of around 39 billion euros for 2024 and over 40 billion euros for 2025, the draft is higher than the current budget of 37 billion euros.
With the draft of the double budget, the Berlin state government places a clear focus on education, the expansion of security, housing construction, digitalisation, social security and a strong economy. The governing mayor Kai Wegner emphasises: "This is a budget of opportunities and a budget for the future. With the double budget, investments and projects are now possible that were not possible before. With the 2024/2025 double budget, we are making Berlin a bit better."
As the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family emphasises, children, youth and families are top priorities for the Berlin Senate. This is also reflected in the draft budget: while around 13 percent of the total budget is earmarked for this thematic complex in 2023, the share will rise to 13.6 and 13.9 percent in the next two years. Focal points are the continuation of the school construction offensive as well as extensive investments in new teachers and the learning environment. This includes, in particular, a new Berlin state institute for the initial, further and in-service training of teachers, which is scheduled to start operating in 2025. In 2024/2025, the expansion of daycare places will continue to be funded with 76 million euros.
The state government is strengthening Berlin's security authorities with a comprehensive security package. The police and fire brigade will be comprehensively equipped with body cams and vehicle cameras. In addition, the police will receive more tasers. In addition, new fire stations will be financed.
The cost of building and financing new housing has risen sharply. The Senate has therefore adjusted and improved the funding guidelines. Each year, the draft budget provides 1.5 billion euros for the housing development fund. In addition, the resolutions of the summit against youth violence are being implemented with several programmes: more qualified offers are to be made to children and young people in the future. Another focus is the climate-resilient design of neighbourhoods.
Digitisation in all areas is one of the central challenges for the state government. The focus is on increasing the security of information and communication technology and implementing the one-device strategy. This should enable Berlin's administration to work independently of location in the future. In addition, a GovTechCampus is being built in Berlin as an innovation centre for the Berlin administration.
In the new double budget, 9.2 million euros are earmarked for the operation of two homeless shelters that are open around the clock. Up to now, the assistance offered has been financed through an EU programme. Another focus of the Senate Department for Labour, Social Affairs, Equality, Integration, Diversity and Anti-discrimination is the state programme of integration pilots, which will be financially secured for two more years. The state government continues to work against violence against women and is continuing the state action plan in accordance with the Istanbul Convention.
Berlin's economy is in the midst of a transformation in light of the issues of sustainability, skills shortages and crisis resilience. The state government is supporting these processes with several funding programmes. Over 133 million euros are available for this purpose. Furthermore, the opportunity fund for female start-ups will be continued. With an increase in funding for Berlin's city cleaning service, the Senate continues to consistently pursue the goal of a clean city.
The Berlin Senate is sticking to its goal of building more safe cycle paths than the previous government. Around 59 million euros have been earmarked for this in the double budget. In addition, about 66 million euros are earmarked for green infrastructure measures such as the redesign of the Spreepark, the Tegeler Stadtheide or the Britzer Garten. Local public transport will be further expanded and made more sustainable. For the operation and maintenance of green infrastructure, the draft budget provides almost 117 million euros.
With the double budget, the Berlin Senate is responding to the increasing volume of tasks, especially with regard to digitalisation and the shortage of skilled workers. Furthermore, working for the state of Berlin is to become even more attractive through a gradual increase in salaries. The districts will also be structurally strengthened with 200 million euros over the next two years.
Inclusive access to Berlin's sports facilities will continue to be promoted. This applies to both athletes and visitors. The sustainability programme "Inclusion '23" includes, for example, the central inclusion management for organised sports in Berlin and the conversions for the UEFA EURO 2024. The new construction of the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark into a maximally inclusive sports facility for all will be funded with an initial 30 million euros until the end of 2025.
The Senate Department of Justice focuses on strengthening the public prosecutor's office and the courts, in particular to advance the fight against organised crime. Other priorities are the fight against juvenile delinquency as well as digitalisation and the recruitment of skilled workers. The advisory services in economic consumer protection are being expanded. Among other things, a new counselling centre is planned for this purpose.
The planned double budget will make Berlin's cultural landscape more resilient. A special focus is on raising minimum salaries and fee floors as well as compensating for wage increases. Funds are also earmarked for digitisation in the cultural sector and the creation of new cultural spaces.
With the new double budget, the eleven state universities are financially secure until 2028. Negotiations on university contracts will now continue on this secure basis. The Berlin Senate continues to focus on the training of nursing staff and the expansion of services for senior citizens and people in need of care. Several reconstruction, expansion and renovation measures will sustainably improve the situation in the hospital of the correctional facility.