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Why? So that decisions are made with knowledge of the facts and a second opinion. The Berne court recently confirmed this once again.
Many cities, municipalities and cantons contact me in advance to inform me of planned fee adjustments. This is provided for in the Price Control Act for various fees. Adjusting these fees without my advice may result in what is known as a formal error. What exactly does this mean?
A current example from Bern: the municipality has published a partial revision of its parking management regulations. However, the community did not bother to consult with me in advance.
A resident of the village did not agree with the change in the resolution and filed a complaint with the governor’s office. The complaint demanded that the decision to increase prices be reversed.
This is exactly what the government administration did and justified its decision as follows:
Because the municipality failed to comply with its consultation obligations, it violated the Price Monitoring Act, which, in order to protect the public, requires the prior inclusion of the price monitor’s technical expertise in the decision-making process. The community may not simply ignore his recommendation, but – if it does not want to follow it – will have to justify its rejection in detail.
From the community’s point of view, the end of the story was: “Back to square one.” It is a shame, but no coincidence, that this second opinion process exists for many government fees.
An independent specialist body can make a neutral assessment of the levels of fees and their appropriateness. It also transfers its specialist knowledge and experience to interested parties. This combination often leads to good and sustainable solutions. However, if this process is absent, affected people may insist on their right to a second opinion, as has happened recently. Because everyone benefits from this protection mechanism for their wallet.
Source: Blick
I am David Miller, a highly experienced news reporter and author for 24 Instant News. I specialize in opinion pieces and have written extensively on current events, politics, social issues, and more. My writing has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC News. I strive to be fair-minded while also producing thought-provoking content that encourages readers to engage with the topics I discuss.
