Selm faces budget deficit due to emergency service costs

The city of Selm is facing a significant budget deficit, projected to reach 9.17 million euros for 2026. Treasurer Sylvia Engemann identified two primary causes for this increase: a decline in trade tax revenue and rising costs related to emergency service fees.

Under a public-law agreement, the city of Lünen calculates and provides emergency services for Selm. However, health insurance companies are no longer fully reimbursing these costs, often paying only fixed amounts that fall below municipal calculation rates. A major point of contention is that insurance providers are refusing to cover 'empty runs' or deployments that do not result in patient transport. As a result, Selm is expected to pay 413,000 euros to Lünen in 2026 to cover these losses.