The all-clear via Twitter: Greens do not question commuter flat-rate fees

All clear via Twitter
Greens do not question commuter flat rates

The traffic light negotiators have to drill thick boards for the desired “traffic turnaround” in the coalition talks. And even if the commuter lump sum is considered harmful to the climate, it will not be called into question, according to the Greens federal manager Michael Kellner.

The Greens want to abolish ineffective and climate-damaging state subsidies as far as possible, but are not calling into question the flat-rate commuter allowance. Federal Managing Director Michael Kellner made this clear on Twitter. The Greens agreed to the increase in the commuter allowance two years ago, “even now it is not in question,” he wrote. Party leader Annalena Baerbock said this recently.

But his party wanted to “Ran” about the company car privilege and the tax exemption for crude oil in plastic production. The FDP chairman Christian Lindner had previously emphasized that the reduction in subsidies should not lead to a tax increase for the working middle class, “as would be the case with the commuter flat-rate”. The commuter allowance, i.e. the tax deductibility of travel expenses for the way to work, is considered harmful to the climate because it also favors the use of the car and encourages people to live far away from work. But especially in rural areas with an often poor rail connection, changes to the commuter flat-rate – which costs the state six billion euros per year – would probably not go down well, even in view of the acute rise in fuel prices, according to Lindner.

The coalition negotiators of the SPD, Greens and FDP hold detailed discussions in 22 working groups on individual policy areas. The groups should work out their positions by November 10th. According to a new study by the Federal Environment Agency in 2018, Germany spent at least 65.4 billion euros on environmentally and climate-damaging subsidies.

Almost half, a total of 30.8 billion euros, went to road and air traffic, such as tax breaks for the use of diesel vehicles. The environmentally harmful subsidies have increased in recent years despite the greater efforts to protect the environment.

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