TARTU PLANS A SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET OF 23 MILLION EUROS THIS YEAR.

Tartu Plans Additional Budget of €23 Million This Year

The City of Tartu is planning a supplementary budget of nearly €23 million this year. The majority of the additional budget consists of costs carried over from the previous year.

Over €14 million is earmarked for investments, with nearly €9 million allocated for core operational expenses.

Major ongoing investments include the renovation of the Sõpruse Bridge and the Tähtvere Kindergarten, as well as the construction of cycling paths.

Among the core operational expenses, the largest portions will go towards education and culture. As a new investment, the city government allocated €200,000 in the supplementary budget for the improvement of shelters in school buildings.

With the planned supplementary budget, Tartu's budget for this year would increase to nearly €314 million.

"The majority of this supplementary budget is actually sums carried over from last year. So, the city's own funds going towards core operational expenses amount to €1.7 million, most of which is due to price increases in urban management, bus transport, and heating. But among the new investments, the improvement of shelters is definitely there," said Tartu Deputy Mayor Meelis Leidt (Isamaa).

According to the opposition, more emphasis should be placed on civil protection.

"It would have been fair to send us the entire explanatory memorandum, outlining what is being changed and how. We shouldn't be spending so much on buildings, but rather we should be dealing with how well defense is ensured in the city, and how these programs and projects are carried out so that our population is informed and knows exactly what to do if something happens," said Pille Tsopp-Pagan, a member of the Tartu City Council's finance committee representing the Eesti 200 party.

The supplementary budget increases the city's revenues by €9.3 million, of which €2.9 million comes from the growth of income tax and other revenues, and targeted grants increase by €6.5 million, primarily related to the clarification of funds allocated to the City of Tartu from the state budget.

The remaining expenses (€13.6 million) will be covered by funds that remained unused in 2024.