Cantonal Council SG St. Gallen cantonal council decides on store opening hours

The extension of store opening hours is a central topic of the three-day fall session of the St. Gallen Cantonal Council, which begins on Monday. The government is proposing a moderate extension of opening hours by one hour in the evening. However, a far greater extension is also under discussion.

The preliminary committee is proposing the introduction of uniform store opening hours from 5 am to 10 pm. Until now, stores have been able to open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

The government recommends that Parliament rejects the Commission's proposal. However, it proposes extending the opening hours from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Friday evenings, while stores should be allowed to stay open until 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

In the government's view, the major extension of store opening hours demanded by the Commission is not acceptable to a majority. However, it sees its proposal as a compromise.

Financial equalization and road taxes

Adjustments to the cantonal financial equalization system are also being discussed. The government has announced that it will review the co-financing of infrastructure costs and other expenses incurred by the city of St.Gallen and other regional centers. For example, it is to be examined whether co-financing of center costs by the surrounding municipalities is legally possible.

The amendment to the cantonal law on road traffic tax is also discussed. The St. Gallen government wants to introduce a new system for taxing vehicles. Energy-efficient cars are to benefit from a tax deduction; such deductions would be financed by tax surcharges for vehicles in poor efficiency classes.

SDA