Basel’s government can easily afford a limousine, thanks to its private bank account
The government of Basel has its own bank account with a balance of three million Swiss francs. The money is there so the government can cover “one-time and urgent” expenses. But nobody is really sure what it should do with it. Thanks to all the small and larger political skirmishes, people tend to forget that the government of Basel is quite powerful. Its members have strong connections to interest groups across Switzerland, and they govern a canton with a surplus of 3,8 billion francs. Looking at a budget of this size, three million francs are not much. Perhaps this is why the private bank account of the Basel government usually remains hidden.
Money for football…
Last year, Basel’s government spent about 250,000 francs hosting the UEFA Europa League final. An event of this size could certainly be seen as a “one-time and urgent” expense. Likewise, the acquisition of a government car for 50,000 francs is understandable – even though this expense should really have been part of the official budget.
…but also for ballet
The Theatre Basel ballet performance “Tewje”, directed by Richard Wherlock, was met with critical acclaim. Basel’s government rewarded this success by supporting a tour of the Basel Ballet with 50,000 francs. And finally, the government presented former upper chamber member René Rhinow with a birthday present worth 15,000 francs. The money was used to buy a collection of academic articles.
A footnote on page 168
It is no wonder that the auditing committee of the parliament is confused. In its report, its writes: “It (the committee) cannot comprehend which sums from the private account were approved and for what reason. It is also unclear why there were no requests for further contributions from the account.” The governmental account usually remains in the background. In the government’s 2015 annual report, the fund has either disappeared altogether or is well-hidden. It is however visible in the 2013 report; the government gave an international cultural exchange project a grant of 150,000 francs. Still, it can only be seen as a footnote on page 168 of the report. Since these annual governmental reports usually contain 500 pages, you need a keen eye to spot such a hidden amount.
Sensible handling of money
The government "mostly" understands the recent criticism of the committee. In a reply to the parliament, it wrote that these are expenses which need to be taken care of at short notice in order to to include them within the budget: “Accordingly, the sums taken from the private governmental account are used for various expenses, which in turn can create the impression of arbitrariness. The finance committee is informed about these expenses to guarantee parliamentary control.” The government also emphasises its sensible handling of money: “Thanks to a careful spending policy, the parliament is very reluctant to approve any withdrawals from the governmental account. It is not the goal to use up all the money.” In the complex world of Basel’s government reports, its investments, financial distinctions, and various regulations, the private bank account of the government seems almost entertaining by comparison. The government car was a bargain, the official statement claims. The S-class Mercedes was second-hand and half price. Even governments are happy about bargains. No matter how powerful they are.
Police officers save suicidal trailer driver
The police successfully saved a man from suicide in Weil am Rhein yesterday morning. Officers had rushed to the local sport and leasure centre after receving a call about a man staggering around in the car park before getting into a truck and driving off. After driving just a few metres, the campervan hit a rock. The driver briefly got out to have a look before getting back into the driver's seat. When the police arrived, they had to knock several times before the driver opened the door. They quickly realised he was holding a large knife and threatened to hurt himself with it. He then cut himself several times. A female police officer managed to get the suicidal man’s attention and could persuade him to put the knife away. Afterwards, the man was overpowered and arrested. The French man is 69 years old and is suffering from psychological problems, which had been worsened by alcohol consumption. He was taken to a hospital by the emergency services for a check-up before being transferred to a specialist clinic for further treatment.
Leonardo da Vinci beats Basel Gaugin painting in auction
Christie’s in New York this week auctioned off an original da Vinci painting for a record sum of 450,3 million dollars – beating the previous record of a Gauguin painting from Basel. Until Wednesday, the Gauguin painting “Nafea Faa Ipoipo” (When Will You Marry?), auctioned by Ruedi Staechelin in 2015, had been the most expensive art sale worldwide. The Thani dynasty bought the painting for 300 million dollars. Before that, it had been on display in the Basel Kunstmuseum on permanent loan.