Cargo Bike Project Prospers; Basel Finances Flush With Cash; Swiss Authorities Respond to Brussels Attacks; Basel Prepares for UEFA Finals

News For 22 March 2016     As a complement to Basel's project to remove motorized traffic from the inner part of the city, Carvelo2Go, an organization backed by the Basel office of mobility, Office of Environment, The TCS and IWB, has found success offering a bike sharing service featuring three wheeled, power assisted delivery bikes.  Now that the service has gone on-line, you'll never have to curtail your shopping in the city-center for fear of having to schlep all the things you've bought without having a car.  Simply register on-line with the service, reserve your bike using the app at one of the 17 participating shop-hosts while you shop, load up the bike, and off you go.  The first hour will set you back 5 francs, with a 2 franc charge for each additional hour.  Best of all, you needn't be Lance Armstrong to pedal your bike and cargo home, they're rechargeable e-bikes designed specifically to help you make it home with your haul.  The concept has proven so popular amongst city planners and administrators that Bern is also launching the program.   ***************************

In a press release on Monday, the Canton Of Basel-Stadt Government announced the budget results from the 2015 tax year.  Most surprising was that what was expected to be a slight surplus of 35.9 Million Swiss Francs, ended up being nearly a half a billion francs, 432 million to be exact, on a total budgeted expenditure of 3.88 billion francs for the year.  In case you're wondering what the source of the windfall was, it seems the largest unexpected increase of tax revenue came from individual filers of taxes.  In addition, the city found additional income from prior tax-year accounting adjustments.  No word yet on what the government intends to do with the growing surpluses the canton has been enjoying for years, other than continuing to retire debts.  In addition, there is reluctance to adjust the tax code as Basel Stadt has already committed to the Corporate Tax Reform III act, which will abolish special status for international companies based in Basel in the coming years, resulting in expected revenue declines.

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The Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) has set up a crisis unit in Bern, according to the Swiss news agency SDA.  So far the FIS has not raised its threat assessment level, which was already elevated following the attacks in Paris last November.  In a press release, the FIS stressed that Switzerland was not a primary target for Islamist terrorist attacks, however warned that as a Western European nation it was still a possible target.  In addition, the federal Office of Police has been in contact with their Belgian counterparts to determine if any link to Switzerland, or Swiss citizens exists.  The Swiss foreign ministry has also been working closely with its embassy in Brussels to determine the status of Swiss Citizens who may have been victims of the attacks.  Swiss airlines cancelled their flights from Zurich to Brussels today and those scheduled for tomorrow morning.  Affected customers will be offered the chance to rebook flights free of charge.

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Only about 8 weeks remain before Basel plays host to this year's Europa League Finals.  Peter Howald, director of the Basel Sports Office explained that Basel expects tens of thousands of football fans to attend the event.  In addition, media representatives from 60 countries will be on hand to report on the event, the first European Cup final in Switzerland since 1984.  Also looking forward to the economic benefits which are expected is Daniel Egloff, Basel's tourism director.  According to Egloff, the final event will generate 4000 overnight stays and almost 1 million Swiss Francs for the Basel Hotel Industry.  In addition, the knock-on effect of all the media attention is expected to deliver an additional 25 percent increase in tourism in the year after the Finals.