The times in which the head of the finance department, Günter Beck (The Greens), was almost ashamed to present the brilliant Mainz figures to his Rhineland-Palatinate counterparts at joint meetings, are now over. For the time being, tax revenues of more than one billion euros a year are also a thing of the past in this state capital. Nevertheless, the unexpected windfall, which in the heyday of the Corona pandemic was probably mainly due to the vaccine manufacturer Biontech SE, helped the hitherto cash-strapped municipality to get back on its feet at all. Legacy assets accumulated over decades could be removed within a few months and a thick equity cushion could be created.

New trams have been ordered, a wine barrel sauna suitable for Rheinhessen has been commissioned, and a 365-euro annual ticket for pupils and trainees has also been launched thanks to the incessant inflow of money. The fact that the multi-million investment packages required for this were anything but normal will have already been recognised by the citizens. In the end, the "Miracle of Mainz" has now come to an end just a little faster than expected.

Nevertheless, the prospects for the rapidly growing city, which currently has a population of around 228,000, remain good. Although the assessment rate for trade tax was reduced from 440 to 310 points in the middle of the Corona crisis. But this could help in the future when it comes to attracting new companies and research institutions to Mainz as a biotech location, which is planned as soon as possible. In order not to be dependent on a large trade taxpayer in the long run. BioNTech, by far the best horse in the stable, can be trusted to continue to achieve brilliant results with its wide range of vaccines.