As the Algarve’s mayors continue with the uncertainty over the proposed tourist tax, Porto’s city fathers have given a strong indication that the money raised will have little to do with tourism and everything to do with replacing general public spending.
AMAL, the Algarve’s mayor’s group, voted to impose a tourist tax to fund projects to do with ... tourism. This decision now has to be ratified on a council-by-council basis and it is already clear that various Council Assemblies will vote down the proposal, creating a patchwork of tourist tax Councils, unable easily to fund general projects as not all municipalities contributed.
Porto Council today announced that part of its tourist tax revenue will be used to buy ten new police cars, which the Public Security Police, “have been lacking.” This will make, “city patrolling more effective.”
Porto's Mayor, Rui Moreira, commemorating 80 years of the local Police, aims to buy, "electric or low-emission vehicles, which will mitigate the security problems that the increased number of people causes in the city."
Moreira hoped, although this is by no means certain or even under discussion, that the government will pay for more officers to sit in the new vehicles.
The mayor said the city is regenerating fast, physically, culturally and socially, with security and supervision being "absolutely crucial." This is why, said the mayor, the Council wants to facilitate the provision of extra officers by the State.
The Assistant Secretary of State for Internal Affairs, Isabel Oneto, underlined the importance of a collaboration to strengthen the Public Security Police.
"This collaboration and support is always very welcome. As we all know, we are in the process of acquiring vehicles, but if the police can have more, for sure we will all win," she said.
According to Oneto, besides the government’s acquisition of new vehicles, with a total of 2,200 to be distributed to the PSP and the GNR nationally, "the government is still investing in personal protection equipment and infrastructure, for example, in Porto."
