Aarau has approved its 2025 budget with a 96% tax rate and a loan for elderly care. Brugg’s budget and a 25 million franc loan for property acquisition gained strong support. Buchs approved road renovations despite rejecting other proposals. Lenzburg’s budget was ratified, maintaining a 105% tax rate. Obersiggenthal’s road renovation also received approval. Teggerfelden narrowly backed a speed limit loan, while Wettingen’s budget was rejected, and Wohlen declined school expansion loans, raising concerns about future educational facilities.
Aarau
- The municipality of Aarau has successfully approved its 2025 budget, maintaining a tax rate of 96 percent, with an overwhelming majority of 5991 votes in favor and only 840 against.
- A loan aimed at supporting mobile elderly care, which incurs ongoing annual costs, has also gained approval. The vote count was 4944 in favor and 1863 opposed, underscoring the community’s commitment to helping seniors maintain their independence.
Brugg
- The 2025 budget for Brugg has received strong backing, with 2952 votes supporting it compared to just 521 votes against.
- A significant loan of 25 million francs to acquire two properties located at Hauptstrasse 1 and Stapferstrasse 10 has also been approved by voters, with 2802 in favor and 662 opposed. This acquisition is intended to centralize the city’s administration.
- Moreover, a partial revision of the municipal regulations has been accepted decisively, receiving 2603 yes votes against 783 no votes.
Buchs
In Buchs, plans to renovate and enhance Aarauer and Mitteldorfstrasse have been approved, with 1225 votes in favor and 615 against. This significant road construction project, estimated at around 7.5 million francs, is deemed crucial by the municipal council. Mayor Urs Affolter remarked, “We are securing funds from the agglomeration fund that would otherwise be lost.”
Recently, several proposals, including one for a temporary school building, were rejected in Buchs, highlighting the contentious nature of the current road project.
Lenzburg
The budget for Lenzburg in 2025 has been ratified with 2507 yes votes versus 330 no votes. The tax rate will remain at 105 percent. Although expenses are projected to rise, a modest surplus of over 265,000 francs is anticipated for the upcoming year.
Obersiggenthal
In Obersiggenthal, the electorate has approved the renovation of Kirchweg between Landschreiberstrasse and Hertensteinstrasse, with 1427 votes in favor and 807 against. The project, which costs over six million francs, will create a narrower road, broader sidewalks, and new utilities.
Tegerfelden
Tegerfelden witnessed a narrow approval for a loan of 55,000 francs aimed at implementing a speed limit of 30 km/h, with 228 votes supporting it against 219 opposing. The municipal assembly had advocated for this speed limit in the summer, but a referendum was subsequently initiated. The party behind the initiative plans to take further actions against the speed limit’s introduction.
Wettingen
The budget for 2025 was narrowly rejected by Wettingen’s electorate, with 50.56 percent voting against it. The municipal council proposed a tax rate increase from 95 to 98 percent, but this was met with disappointment, as they described the outcome as random.
This rejection marks a recurring trend in Wettingen, where attempts to raise the tax rate have previously failed. The funding was intended to pre-finance a planned upper secondary center. Municipal president Roland Kuster stated, “We will persist in advancing the proposed school location,” indicating that Wettingen may continue to face financial challenges.
Wohlen
Wohlen’s central municipality has declined to approve planning loans of 1.4 and 2 million francs each for expanding the Bünzmatt and Junkholz school centers. Municipal councilor Thomas Burkart expressed his disappointment, stating, “The clarity of this outcome is a huge surprise.” The repercussions of this rejection will now impact both teachers and students.
As the student population grows, the lack of adequate school facilities remains a pressing issue. “This will result in more temporary solutions like container classrooms, ultimately costing the municipality more,” warned Roland Büchi, president of the local SVP. His party had instigated the referendum, and he attributed the rejection to community frustration over the high tax rates.