Amsterdam announces investments in public transport, public space; Raising tourist tax

Amsterdam is pushing a lot of money into its infrastructure, public transport, youth care, and several projects to make life nicer for locals, like a library in Zuidoost and an indoor swimming pool in Flevopark. The municipality also released money for the National Slavery Museum, according to the Spring Memorandum on the city’s budget alderman Hester van Buren (Finance) published on Thursday. The city is raising tourist tax to cover part of these investments.

Public transport

The city is pushing 300 million euros into the Zuidasdok project, which includes building a metro line to Haven-Stad and extending the Noord-Zuid line to Schiphol. The council also released 100 million euros for a bicycle bridge over the IJ, which is expected to be built by 2032. €7.5 million will go to the GVB to keep public transport in the city running to standard. And 57 million euros will go to the Smart Mobility Hub Zuidoost.

Public space and infrastructure

Amsterdam is investing in several projects to improve the public space. €117 million will go toward building new and renovating existing sports halls in Zuid. The Jaap Edenbaan will be renovated, and the outer ice skating track will be made more sustainable (€34 million). The Bijlmer Parktheater and Meervaart (96.5 million euros) will get a contribution for renovation.

The Flevopark will get a new indoor swimming pool (€32.6 million). Zuidoost will get a new public library, the OBA Next (36.5 million euros). And the city will push 29 million euros into the National Slavery Museum.

The city is also pushing 150 million euros into making 475 of its buildings more sustainable. They include the Carre theater, the Stadsschouwburg, youth centers, childcare facilities, and sports facilities that belong to the municipality. And 11 million euros will go toward celebrating Amsterdam’s 750th birthday.

Acute crises

The city council also set money aside to quickly deal with the most acute crises facing the city. Amsterdam is pushing a once-off amount of 10 million euros into youth care, which can also expect a structural budget increase of 4 million euros from next year. The city council wants to counterbalance planned cutbacks from the Cabinet.

€10 million will go toward fighting the housing crisis, and 9 million euros to sheltering asylum seekers. The city is also 2 million euros into fighting harassment of the LGBTQIA+ community and sexual violence.

For the significant investments, the city is borrowing money and looking at its own income from land revenues and leaseholds. Amsterdam also has 200 million euros left over from last year’s budget.

The mayor and aldermen did not announce any further tax increases for residents in the Spring Memorandum. But the tourist tax will rise by 1 euro per night and 1 percent on the overnight price. That should raise an additional 30 million euros per year.

“This Spring Memorandum is all about connection: we connect the city and the people of Amsterdam by investing in accessibility, public transport, and infrastructure,” Van Buren said. “We also connect Amsterdammers with each other by making extra efforts to provide sufficient education, sports, arts and culture, and neighborhood facilities.”