Residents report that the poor economy affects their desire to live in Tingvoll. According to NRK Møre og Romsdal, residents Torbjørn Olsen and Bernt Smedsrud described how the financial situation impacts their willingness to stay. In the health sector, 11 full-time positions have been cut, though no one lost their job; vacant positions remain unfilled.
The government's revised national budget allocates an additional 3.5–4 billion kroner to municipalities and counties next year in free revenues. Although municipalities had a collective surplus last year, one in three ran a deficit. Minister of Local Government Bjørnar Skjæran proposes forcing municipalities with large deficits over several years to cooperate more and possibly merge. Mayor Ingrid Waagen Rimstad does not believe in external experts telling the municipal council what to do, according to NRK Møre og Romsdal. She projects Tingvoll will break even this year. Finance manager Harald Kulstad Bergdal believes the municipality's transferred revenues are insufficient to cover required services, as reported by NRK Møre og Romsdal. The municipal organization KS states that the government's proposal does not change the overall picture of municipal finances, pointing to major upcoming changes: an aging population, green transition, and digitalization. KS advises that the increase in funds should come as free revenues without detailed control, according to area director Helge Eide as reported by NRK Møre og Romsdal.
We have taken many measures and cut just over 20 full-time positions.
There has been talk that we don't really want to live here if it's going to be like this.
It affects the desire to live here.
I don't believe that external experts should come and tell us in the municipal council what to do. I believe that the elected officials in the municipalities know best themselves.
I believe that all municipalities experience that what we receive in transfers is not enough to cover the services we are supposed to deliver.
It is very important that the increase in funds to the municipalities comes as free funds, and that there is no detailed control over what the municipalities spend the money on.