39bn kroner needed to prevent flood damage
It will cost local councils 39 billion kroner over the next 20 years to implement measures that will prevent flooding in connection with heavy rains brought on as a consequence of climate change. Local governments must present their plans for dealing with the effects of downpours to the Environment Ministry before the end of the year. Once they are approved, councils will be able to begin calling for tenders for their initiatives. Over 11 billion kroner in water damage claims was paid out by insurance companies each year between 2009 and 2011. – Erhverv & Økonomi
SEE RELATED: City taking new look at old stream
New programmes for at risk kids – but the budget remains the same
Socially-disadvantaged children will be given a helping hand to guide them to an education on Thursday when the social affairs minister, Anette Vilhelmsen (SF), presents education enrolment targets that will call for half of all such children to complete some form of secondary schooling by the time they turn 25. The trick for councils, however, will be to do this without having their budgets raised. Instead the government will seek to get more out the 14 billion kroner it already sets aside for such efforts. – Politiken
Cameras and vans – speeders beware
A majority in parliament is calling on the government to reverse its plans to quadruple the number of police vans equipped to record speeders and instead use some of the funds to instal fixed roadside cameras. The opposition, with the support of the far-left Enhedslisten, said employing several types of speed control methods is safer and cheaper than relying solely on vans, which must be operated by a police officer. – DR Nyhederne
SEE RELATED: Give us 500 speed cameras, police say
Death tax bad for businesses, owners say
The owners of eleven of the country’s most prominent family-run businesses say the current inheritance tax could cost as many as 10,000 jobs when it comes time for them to hand over the reins to the next generation. Current inheritance tax laws require businesses to pay 15 percent of the company’s value when it changes hands from one family member to another, and that could in some cases amount to as much as 76 percent of the firms’ capital. – Berlingske
