Guadalajara, Jal. Derived from an increase close to 10% in property tax collection, the municipal government of chapala increased its own collection by more than 20% this 2023, commented to The Economist the mayor, Alejandro Aguirre.
He indicated that, as a result of the decrease in the participations for the municipalities by the state and federal governments, the municipalities have been forced to seek to increase their own income.
“We have had the highest collection ever chapala in 2022 and 2023, which has allowed us to move forward despite federal and state cuts; So, the municipalities have to be creative and bet that the same municipality has its income”, stressed the municipe.
Aguirre Curiel explained that chapala It managed a budget of close to 350 million pesos, while in 2022 and 2023 it was possible to increase it to 420 million pesos.
According to the municipal president, more than 15,000 North Americans live in the Ajijic delegation that a couple of years ago received the name of Magic Town, and it is considered the largest colony of Americans outside the American Union.
“We had an increase in the property tax; We know that these are not easy decisions, but Ajijic homes are priced in dollars and there is already a very significant turnover; We have more than 50 real estate agencies in chapala; So, it is already part of the economy and of the income that Chapala has to consider, ”he stressed.
Real state development
Although tourism is the most important economic activity in the municipality where the largest lagoon in the country is located, in recent years real estate developments have grown significantly, although according to Alejandro Aguirre, they have done so in a disorderly and threatening the natural resources of the town, for which his government, he pointed out, has begun a process to regularize said subdivisions.
“Many developers have arrived and want to end the natural resources that a municipality like Chapala has, which are its mountains, its beaches, the lake; they go and make developments, we are not against developments, but we have to regulate them because they go and make developments of 50 or 60 houses and then the municipality has to provide them with all the services”.
He indicated that the past administration approved developments “in the mountains where they begin to cover the natural drains; Another issue that we have is that they begin to invade federal zones, to close public accesses and there we have also intervened directly as a municipality because that depends on Conagua but sometimes it does not have the resources or the intentions and they do not execute”.
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