Tallinn presented a draft additional budget of 46.5 million euros

Mayor of Tallinn Mihail Kõlvart. Photo: Andras Kralla

The Tallinn City Government has submitted to the City Council a draft of the first supplementary budget for 2023, according to which the total city budget will increase by 46.5 million euros. Following the approval of the supplementary budget for Tallinn for 2023, the revised budget will amount to 1.18 billion euros, according to a press release.

The supplementary budget will increase the city’s income by 41.7 million euros, while the income of the city fund will increase by 8.3 million euros, the own income of city institutions by 9.1 million euros, the volume of subsidies received from the state budget and external financing by 24.3 million euros.

“In order to improve the urban environment, we will increase spending on landscaping by two million euros, the funds will be used to plant a thousand trees in the city. For the first time, the practice of planting 300 mature trees will be applied to reduce the effect of the so-called heat islands, i.e. the anomalous temperature difference between the city (especially its center) and the suburbs, explained Mayor of Tallinn Mihail Kõlvart. “Additional funds are also provided to support support specialists at educational institutions, as well as to differentiate the basic salary of coordinators of the education of children with special educational needs from September up to 17% of their lower salary rate, which is 1,749 euros.”

Sports events will also be supported: “The additional budget will support major events such as the FIBA ​​Olympic Pre-Qualifiers Basketball Qualifiers, the CEV European Volleyball Championship Finals, the European Disc Golf and Triathlon Championships.”

The largest source of income in the city budget, income tax revenue, according to updated forecasts, will increase by 5 million euros, due to better-than-expected employment and labor market conditions. Tax revenues will increase advertising tax revenue by 100,000 euros, duty income will increase by 20,000 euros. The planned own income of city institutions will increase by a total of 9.1 million euros, with the biggest increase being the own income of the Department of Social Affairs and Health and the Department of City Property. Growth is mainly due to an increase in the volume of services provided to the state, and in the case of the Department of City Property, due to an increase in income from the rental of business premises.

In accordance with the supplementary budget, operating costs will increase by a total of 41.1 million euros in 2023, with the most significant increases planned for social security and education.

In the field of social security in the field of guardianship for people with disabilities, the costs of services for people with special mental health needs and rehabilitation will increase. In the field of care for the elderly, it is planned to carry out a long-term reform of care home services at the expense of the State Grant Fund. Funds are also provided so that, if necessary, the city can compensate for a share of self-financing in the provision of care home services for the elderly. The funds are also earmarked for the reconstruction of the premises of the Tallinn Mental Health Center and its equipment, as well as for the heating of the Pae Center of the Käo Support Center. In the field of child care, additional funds are provided for the purchase of backpacks for children from low-income families, sports equipment for the Tallinn Child Welfare Center, as well as for equipping the music therapy and physiotherapy rooms of the Tallinn Orphanage.

Additional funds are also envisaged to differentiate the basic salary by 17% for support specialists and coordinators of educational work for children with special educational needs, it is planned to allocate a total of 850,000 euros to cover this line of expenditure. It is planned to allocate 205,000 euros for operating costs and rent for the Hiiu School, which will open in September this year.

In the field of culture, expenses for the Literary Street Festival and the Birgitta Festival will increase, as well as support from the Estonian Union of Churches and support for the restoration work of the basement of the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, the facade of the tower of the Dome Church, as well as the restoration of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior.

The line of investments will be clarified in the budget, the changes will affect the total cost of investment objects as a result of tenders and the costs envisaged for 2023.