The Commission has been instrumental in formulating the proposed budget for the year 2000.
In the picturesque town of Forst, the race for the mayoral seat is heating up as three candidates presented their visions for the future on Tuesday evening at the Waldseehalle. The event, attended by approximately 800 visitors, saw incumbent Bernd Killinger, independent, go head-to-head with Hajo Böser from the CDU and Jochen Bender, a municipal official from Karlsruhe.
Bernd Killinger, who has been the Amtsinhaber (incumbent mayor) since 2015, has been a topic of discussion among the residents of Forst. Despite increasing the municipality's reserves, he proposed raising the property tax in light of the district tax. This proposal, however, did not find unanimous support among the factions in the Stadtrat (town council).
Killinger's unconventional style was on display once again during his presentation when he surprised the audience by jumping off the stage. The audience reacted with surprised laughter, adding a unique moment to the evening.
Hajo Böser, who emphasized his family name, which is the "oldest Forster name," reaffirmed his desire to involve citizens and avoid top-down decisions regarding the Heidesee, a topic of discussion among the residents of Forst. Böser, who was born in Forst but currently lives in Oberhausen-Rheinhausen, also advocated for reviving the budget committee.
Jochen Bender, another candidate, stressed that "Forst is a matter of the heart" for him. He touched on various topics in his presentation, including citizen participation, associations, budget, digital administration, housing, climate protection, traffic, daycare centers, schools, youth, seniors, and the economy. Bender also emphasized his political experience and work experience as a corporate auditor.
Bender served as a reserve soldier in the Bundeswehr for many years, a fact that he did not fail to mention during his presentation. He also highlighted his desire to prioritize projects and examine savings potential, especially in light of the significant burden the district tax places on the budget.
The town council had set "clear guidelines" for the candidate presentation, which included that it should take place on the podium and that assistants were not allowed. However, during Killinger's presentation, his son was seen posting notes on a bulletin board at the edge of the stage. This action was met with disapproval from Christian Holzer, chairman of the municipal election committee and moderator of the evening.
The audience was also concerned about Killinger's health and fitness for the office after his health setback last year. An attendee asked Bernd Killinger about this during the Q&A session, but the question was met with boos from the audience.
Bernd Killinger, despite the controversy, wants to preserve the lake and beach and generate income with a floating photovoltaic plant. Jochen Bender, on the other hand, wants to maximize the potential of the lake.
With the election just around the corner on September 14, the residents of Forst will have to make their decision. Almost all factions have pledged their support to Hajo Böser, but will this be enough to secure him the mayoral seat? Only time will tell.
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