São Vicente Mayoral Candidate Pledges Tourist Tax and New Affordable Housing Units
António Gonçalves, the candidate representing the PSD/CDS coalition for the mayoralty of São Vicente, Madeira, has announced that the implementation of a municipal tourist tax and a robust response to the local housing crisis will be the top priorities of his administration if elected. Speaking to TSF-Madeira radio, Gonçalves detailed a plan that directly links revenue from tourism to investments in public infrastructure and social housing.
The candidate stated his intention to introduce the tourist tax at the very beginning of his term, arguing it is a critical tool for sustainable development. Based on 2024 visitor numbers, Gonçalves’s team projects that the tax could generate approximately 650,000 euros annually for the municipality. He identified this new revenue stream as “essential” for financing a wide range of improvements aimed at enhancing the attractiveness of the northern Madeira municipality.
The funds would be allocated to the requalification of key tourist infrastructure, including viewpoints (miradouros), picnic areas, and public access routes to the coastline. The investment plan also covers the modernization of the municipal fleet, the expansion of recycling collection points (ecopontos), and the maintenance and improvement of the island's popular walking and hiking trails. "This is about making our municipality more attractive and sustainable for everyone," Gonçalves stated.
Addressing the social component of his platform, Gonçalves highlighted the urgent need for housing solutions in São Vicente. He guaranteed the launch of a new affordable housing program (programa de habitação acessível) designed to provide immediate support for 39 local families that the current administration has already identified as being in a precarious housing situation. This initiative aims to provide a direct and swift response to the most pressing local needs.
The candidate detailed a multi-tiered government approach to increasing the housing supply. He noted that the Madeira Housing Institute (IHM) has 18 housing units in the municipality that are completed and ready to be allocated. In addition to these, a Gonçalves-led administration would commit the Municipal Council to constructing ten new homes. These municipal projects would be developed in parallel with the 12 units already planned for São Vicente by the Regional Government of Madeira, creating a substantial pipeline of new public housing.
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"Housing and tourism are the engines for improving the quality of life of the population and creating new opportunities in São Vicente," Gonçalves summarized, framing the two issues as interconnected pillars of his strategy for the municipality. He argued that a well-managed tourism sector should provide the resources to solve fundamental social issues like housing.
The proposal has been received with interest by local business associations, who see the investment in tourist infrastructure as a positive step. However, some in the short-term rental sector have expressed concerns about the impact of a new tax. In response, Gonçalves defended the measure as a “structural financing instrument” that ultimately benefits the entire community by allowing the municipality to “attract visitors, create wealth, and, at the same time, ensure better conditions for those who live here.”
The candidate also committed to the reopening of the São Vicente Caves, a major local landmark and tourist draw, which he described as a “pillar of the local tourist offer.” The closure of the caves has been a point of contention in the municipality, and its reopening is seen as a key step in revitalizing the local economy.
The election in São Vicente is shaping up to be a referendum on how the municipality should manage the pressures and opportunities of tourism. Gonçalves's platform presents a clear vision where tourism revenue is directly reinvested to support local infrastructure and address the housing needs of the resident population, a policy debate that is echoing in tourism-heavy municipalities across Portugal.
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