Stockholm, sweden a loser in the new equalisation system

on Friday the government sends out a new proposal for consultation on how kostnadsutjämningen between municipalities and county councils to change. The background is that conditions in order to conduct welfare vary considerably between different parts of the country. For example, it can be described in Sundbyberg is 13 percent of the population over 65 years of age. In Pajala, the corresponding figure is 34 per cent.

Our starting point has been to kostnadsutjämningen to be strengthened, " says civilminister Ardalan Shekarabi.

on a referral based on an investigation which came in the autumn, and the starting point is to find a model to be able to provide equivalent care in the whole country. If the proposal becomes a reality, it means that a number of county councils will lose money.

the Greatest will be the loss in Stockholm where the county council would lose approximately 692 sek per inhabitant, which corresponds to sek 1.6 billion based on the population in november 2018. The county council of Stockholm would thus go from being nettobidragstagare to become a net contributor. Even the Army is losing a lot of money in the proposal, approximately sek 200 million.

at the same time, Gotland and Jämtland/ Härjedalen's biggest winners, with greatly increased contributions. For Gotland, it is about 86 million, while Jämtland/ Härjedalen may 196 million. Also, Västerbotten, Norrbotten, Värmland and Dalarna will be the clear winner with the new proposal.

" I am convinced that it needed a stronger smoothing if we are to ensure equal treatment throughout the country. My impression is that the county councils with a sparse population base, have a need for higher compensation, " says Ardalan Shekarabi.

into account than in the past to population density and socio-economic factors, such as level of education. It means that glesbygdskommuner which received many refugees will benefit from the new system.

" The municipalities must have the conditions to guarantee its citizens an equivalent welfare equal to the welfare that everyone has a right to. To have taken responsibility for the reception of asylum seekers as glesbygdskommun can't get the effect that you can't offer the citizens the welfare they are entitled to, " says Ardalan Shekarabi.

the proposal will mean changes, although not as large as for the county councils. The focus, however, is the same: more money to glesbygdskommunerna and less to storstadskommunerna. It is motivated, among other things, that skattekraften in the municipalities varies greatly. In värmland Årjäng is skattekraften 158.000 sek while the corresponding figure in Danderyd is 378.000 sek.

– It is not a long-term sustainable development to the municipalities that have the most difficult conditions are forced to continue to raise taxes. It is not, " says Ardalan Shekarabi.

Leveling needs to be strengthened. We have municipalities that have lost population in multiple decades, and which has a population structure that enables them to have tougher conditions than the municipalities that are located in metropolitan areas and have a more favorable composition, " he continues.

Irene Svenonius (M), region chairman in the Stockholm Region, is concerned that the government chooses to go ahead with the proposal.

"My hope is that the parliament stops the social Democrats' plans. It is unreasonable to take 1.6 billion, from a growing region with large investment needs. It must be the responsibility of the state to reduce disparities and to ensure that rural areas receive the support it may need, not the Region of Stockholm's inhabitants, says Irene Svenonius.

the Proposal, if kostnadsutjämning is not a part of the settlement between S, C, L and MP. If the government chooses to proceed after the consultation, the proposal must be anchored in parliament for it to become a reality. The government's objective is that the changes will be implemented during the term of office.

Read more: Rich municipalities should give more to the poor