16 budget proposals on AI, tax and safety sent to the magistrat's 1st technical processing

On Wednesday, 9 September 2026, Aarhus Byråd referred the item Budget proposals — Economy and other matters to the magistrat's 1st technical processing. The 16 proposals — from AI pools and international workforce to tax and safety priorities — are now part of the ongoing budget negotiations for 2027–2030.

To be referred to the magistrat's 1st technical processing after consideration at the byråd (city council)'s meeting on 9 September 2026. The case was considered together with cases 2–7.

What this means for you

No final prioritisation of the individual proposals has been decided in this item. They proceed to technical processing before the parties negotiate a budget agreement. Topics range from artificial intelligence and digital agency to international workforce and investor initiatives, restaurant life, safety, LGBT and anti-racism initiatives, as well as proposals on joint contributions and municipal tax.

Background

The item brings together budget proposals 140–155 under the heading Economy and other matters. On 1 September 2026, the magistrat referred the case to the budget negotiations.

Denmarksdemokraterne proposes a strategic investment pool for artificial intelligence with a reinvestment model, so documented efficiency gains can finance new AI projects (Appendix — 140 Strategic investment pool for artificial intelligence with reinvestment model). Venstre wants an AI investment pool that supports local projects with documented potential for better quality, citizen services and freed-up staff time (Appendix — 141 AI must free up time for welfare).

SF wants greater digital agency through more open source solutions, an analysis of the municipality's IT spending and funding to become a pilot municipality for OS2 skole (Appendix — 142 Greater digital agency). Venstre, Konservative and Liberal Alliance propose renewing and expanding the partnership on international workforce with Erhverv Aarhus (Appendix — 143 Renewed and targeted partnership on international workforce - V, KF and LA). Venstre also proposes an Invest in Aarhus initiative anchored in The Link to attract international capital to Aarhus growth companies (Appendix — 144 Invest in Aarhus - international capital for Aarhus growth companies).

The remaining proposals in the item include, among other things, a single entry point for restaurant life, restoration of Oplandspuljen, participatory budgeting, a safe nightlife package, a safety pool for targeted video surveillance, funding for the LGBT action plan and an action plan against racism, proposals on less bureaucracy and administration, and proposals on joint contributions and municipal tax.

Figures and facts

• The byråd's parties have submitted 155 budget proposals this year (Appendix — City council debate 09.09.2026).
• According to the borgmester (mayor), the budget proposal includes fiscal room for 197 million kroner more per year for operations over the next four years, and on the other side more than 800 million kroner for capital projects (Appendix — City council debate 09.09.2026).
• Venstre proposes an AI investment pool of up to 5 million kr. annually for the budget period (Appendix — 141 AI must free up time for welfare).
• Borgmesterens Afdeling specifies 5,000,000 kr. annually in 2027–2030 for the AI investment pool and 10,000,000 kr. annually in 2027–2029 for a shared foundation for scaling — a total of 15,000,000 kr. in 2027 and 2028 (Appendix — 140 & 141 Clarification A Strategic investment pool for artificial intelligence with reinvestment model and AI must free up time for welfare).
• A statement from 2025 shows annual IT spending of 287 million kr., including 47 million kr. for Microsoft licences and 65 million kr. that the municipality cannot control; the remaining 175 million kr. is to be analysed with a view to more open source (Appendix — 142 Greater digital agency).
• The partnership agreement on international workforce is proposed to continue at 500,000 kr. annually and be expanded with a further 500,000 kr., for a total of 1,000,000 kr. annually (Appendix — 143 Renewed and targeted partnership on international workforce - V, KF and LA).
• For Invest in Aarhus, 1.5 million kr. annually from 2027–2030 is proposed (Appendix — 144 Invest in Aarhus - international capital for Aarhus growth companies).
• Dansk Folkeparti's proposal in the item mentions a new safety pool of 2.5 million kr. for targeted video surveillance (Minutes — Budget proposals Economy and other matters).

Who said what

The borgmester emphasised in the combined budget debate on cases 2–8 that Aarhus has a strong economy but is also under pressure due to the cap on municipalities' total spending. He pointed to the social sector as particularly challenged and mentioned a solidarity-based prioritisation with a social percentage in 2027 and a new welfare contribution from 2028. According to him, the parties must indicate where both money and the service framework should come from if they want a lot (Appendix — City council debate 09.09.2026).

Anna Thusgård (S) highlighted investment in collective transport, strengthening the social sector and efforts for outwardly reactive citizens with dementia, and a wish to bring more services in-house so care can to a greater extent take place within the municipal boundaries (Appendix — City council debate 09.09.2026).

Borgmesterens Afdeling assesses that the AI proposals are in line with the municipality's strategic direction, but that an investment pool in itself does not create the shared technical and organisational foundation for scaling (Appendix — 140 & 141 Clarification A Strategic investment pool for artificial intelligence with reinvestment model and AI must free up time for welfare). For open source and OS2 skole, the administration assesses that an analysis can form the basis for later priorities, while any change in the school area should happen gradually — the solution is used by more than 29,000 pupils as well as teachers and other staff (Appendix — 142 Clarification A Greater digital agency).

What happens next

The proposals have been referred to the magistrat's 1st technical processing. They will then be part of the political budget negotiations, where the parties must reach an agreement for the 2027–2030 budget.

Sources

• Minutes — Budget proposals Economy and other matters
• Appendix — City council debate 09.09.2026
• Appendix — 140 Strategic investment pool for artificial intelligence with reinvestment model
• Appendix — 141 AI must free up time for welfare
• Appendix — 140 & 141 Clarification A Strategic investment pool for artificial intelligence with reinvestment model and AI must free up time for welfare
• Appendix — 142 Greater digital agency
• Appendix — 142 Clarification A Greater digital agency
• Appendix — 143 Renewed and targeted partnership on international workforce - V, KF and LA
• Appendix — 144 Invest in Aarhus - international capital for Aarhus growth companies
• Aarhus Kommune meeting documents — the meeting
• Aarhus Kommune

Other appendices

• Appendix — 143 Clarification A Renewed and targeted partnership on international workforce
• Appendix — 144 Clarification A Invest in Aarhus - international capital for Aarhus growth companies