The Câmara de Lagos approved the continuation of the municipal program “Lagos Apoia”, with an estimated value of 5,5 million euros. The goal is «alleviate the effects of the crisis caused by the war in Europe, helping people, families, companies and local institutions to withstand the increased pressure of inflation and rising energy prices, interest rates and the cost of many consumer goods, including food».
The municipality considers that the current situation, although different from that experienced in 2020 - the year in which "Lagos Apoia" was launched as a way to mitigate the economic and social impact caused by the pandemic -, provides similar assumptions for the continuity of the application of exceptional measures support, not forgetting, however, to adapt the program according to other context factors that are also present today, such as the resumption of economic activity to pre-pandemic levels, and environmental aspects.
Specifically, the aid package foresees, in relation to water, the flexibility of procedures for accessing the social tariff, however, the alteration of the tariff that exempted users from paying the first step and reduced the price of the 2nd tier (in the case of domestic users) or that reduced the price of the single tier (in the case of non-domestic users).
This adjustment to the measure is in line with the situation of water scarcity and is intended to encourage more rational consumption of this essential good.
With regard to economic activities, the municipality explains that the measures involve the application of only 50% of the fees due for the occupation of public roads and advertising, rents from stores, stalls, markets and municipal fairs and the exemption from the payment of any fees that, in the within the framework of the transfer of powers to municipal bodies, will be stipulated in the field of maritime tourism.
The non-application of surcharges on companies is another decision that reverts to the economic fabric.
With regard to families, housing aid will be maintained, either through the extension of support conditions for private renting (35% contribution to households whose effort rates are between 51 and 70%) that it will allow it to cover more households, either through exemption from the payment of municipal rents, until the entry into force of the new Municipal Regulation for the Support of Access to Housing.
The extension of access conditions also applies to social support which, in 2023, should cover 850 households.
The reduction of IMI to the minimum rate of 0,30% and the setting of the variable participation in the IRS rate at 0% are, on the tax side, two measures that translate into a financial impact of 1,8 million euros in favor of taxpayers.
In the area of Education, among other measures, the full allocation of the value of the scholarship to higher education students (250 euros per month, for 10 months) and the possibility of accumulating it with support from the General Directorate of Higher Education , but also the expansion of public Pre-School Family Support Services, ensuring their operation in the month of August and the first half of September, that is, without interruption.
The municipality also maintains the availability of support for private institutions of social solidarity and their respective users, sports associations and cultural associations.
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