Raising Fees for the Elderly Due to Poor Finances – While Increasing Their Own Severance Packages

In November, increased fees were proposed for Sundsvall municipality’s elderly care homes. The finances are reportedly so poor that the elderly may be forced to pay for things like laundry detergent, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies. However, the financial situation was apparently not poor enough to prevent an increase of their own severance packages.

According to Social Democrat Mikael Westin, chairman of the care and welfare committee, this is an increase they “perhaps do not want to make” but must due to the economic situation. The Sweden Democrats oppose such a solution and voted against the proposal for a consumables fee.

Kevin Sahlin is chairman and group leader for the Sweden Democrats in Sundsvall and did not think the increase was a good idea.

– It is clear proof that the Social Democrats’ mismanagement of the economy has led to a situation where residents now face an increase of 3,204 SEK per year in fees for special housing! It is remarkable and completely out of touch with reality!

– We would have preferred to see Sundsvall municipality governed by our budget so that welfare receives the funding it truly deserves and so clearly needs!

The proposal was approved in the municipal council with 38 votes for and 33 against. Kevin Sahlin called for its rejection.

Sundsvall municipality is governed by the Social Democrats, the Centre Party, and the Left Party in a majority coalition.

Reservations

In a reservation supported by a large number of Moderates and Christian Democrats, the following was written:

Sundsvall municipality has one of Sweden’s highest municipal taxes among comparable municipalities – yet it is proposed that the fees for our care recipients be dramatically increased again. The background is poor economic management throughout the municipality, which now affects our core mission: welfare. We do not think the bill for the Social Democratic-led left majority’s irresponsibility should be paid by our elderly and vulnerable.

A better way forward would have been to gradually adjust fees to better align with future needs, rather than dramatically raising prices – and preferably not increasing at all, if the political leadership took greater financial responsibility in other areas of the municipality.

A group of Sweden Democrats submitted the following reservation:

The documentation still lacked a report on the differences between index adjustments according to OPI and PKV, which is necessary information to assess the financial consequences for the individual. Despite this, the majority chose to proceed.

Sundsvall already has a high municipal tax, and yet the majority is imposing further costs on the elderly and those in need of care, who cannot influence their financial situation. We believe it is wrong to let the most vulnerable bear the consequences of poor Social Democratic leadership in the municipality.

Increased Severance Packages

With reference to the economic situation, fee increases were thus implemented for the municipality’s elderly. At the same session, however, a proposal that means increased severance packages for themselves was also approved.

Once again, Kevin Sahlin called for the proposal to be rejected.

– It should be added that the Sweden Democrats were the only party opposed to these increases and see it as indefensible to raise politicians’ severance packages while simultaneously increasing the fees for a group that has no opportunity whatsoever to bear the burden of the Social Democrats’ economic mismanagement, Sahlin told Samnytt.

Samnytt has asked the Social Democrats how they justify raising fees for the elderly with reference to the economy at the same time as they raise their own severance packages.