The opposition in the Lisbon Chamber returned this Wednesday to reject a proposal by the SDP/CDC-PP leadership to exempt young people under 35 from IMT who buy a house up to 250,000 euros, deeming it “socially unfair”. “measure.
At an open meeting of the municipal executive power, a proposal was made to exempt young people under the age of 35 from the municipal real estate transfer tax (MNT) for the purchase of their own housing, with a maximum value of 250 thousand euros. rejected by 17 members of the House with 10 votes against the opposition, namely four for PS, two for PCP, two for Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition), one for Livre and one for BE.
Only seven elected members of the New Times coalition (PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança), who govern without an absolute majority, voted in favor.
Presenting the proposal, Deputy Mayor Filipe Anacoreta Correia (CDS-PP) said that the IMT exemption is a measure for young people who want to buy a house in Lisbon, allowing them to get the maximum benefit of 8,322 euros.
With the exemption from IMT, the council would have waived revenues that had an estimated €4.5 million in related tax costs, Anacoreta Correia pointed out, pointing out that “about 35% of real estate transactions in Lisbon are carried out by minors. 35 years”, according to data received after consultation with financial institutions.
The vice-president also referred to the fact that, according to the Tax Office, about half of the purchases of housing by young people have a value of up to 250 thousand euros.
On November 30, as part of the approval of the municipal budget for 2023, the opposition rejected the exclusion of IMT, making possible the PS proposal for an income subsidy for young people under 35, “up to a maximum limit of 300 euros and 450 euros per month, whichever is whether it is, respectively, a household consisting of one, two or more elements”, so that the expenses do not exceed 30% of their net income.
In the opinion of PS Councilor Ines Drummond, resubmitting a proposal to exempt young people from IMT is “political opportunism” at a time when the government’s Mais Habitação program is being discussed and shows that it is “the only idea” that the mayor, Carlos Moedas (PSD) , has for the city.
Socialist recalled that the proposed income subsidy for young people under the age of 35, which was approved with 4.5 million euros, has not yet been implemented, criticizing the insistence of the PSD/CDS-PP leadership to exclude IMT, which is a “socially unfair” measure , because it is aimed at “a small minority with large financial opportunities.”
PCP adviser Joao Ferreira also said that “the vast majority don’t have the money” to buy a house in Lisbon, but noted that the IMT exemption is “2.57% of the price” of a house up to 250,000 euros. so this allowance does not interfere with the decision of young people who have financial opportunities.
From Cidadãos Por Lisboa, Rui Franco dismissed the idea that the council is giving up income to respond to higher income additional income since very few young people can buy a house.
BE advisor Ricardo Moreira emphasized that most young people earn less than €1,000 and pointed out that the IMT exemption could benefit 3% of Lisbon residents under 35, so “this is a measure against 97% of young people.” .
From the same perspective, Livre’s adviser Patricia Gonçalves emphasized that “these measures are not for everyone”, asking how many houses in Lisbon cost up to 250,000 euros and how much young people can buy.
In response to criticism that management is not for everyone, the mayor recalled investments in municipal areas worth 125 million euros, namely 42 million were allocated to Gebalis and 85 million in cooperation with IHRU.
The vice-president of the municipality, on the other hand, expressed “bewilderment” at the intervention of the opposition, which, on the one hand, says that there are no houses under 250 thousand euros, and on the other hand, says that “only rich people can buy houses in Lisbon.”
Anacoreta Correia also opened up to the opposition to lower the maximum value of homes covered by the IMT exemption, but this was not accepted as she ended up criticizing the “recall towards youth”.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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