Budgetary concerns raise eyebrows amidst health-related JPP satisfaction

Let's chat about the latest proposals from Juntos pelo Povo (JPP) for Madeira's Regional Budget and Investment Plan!

Deputy Luís Martins of JPP shared some insights on the 2025 budget plans delivered to the Legislative Assembly by the regional government. In the health sector, he pointed out a positive aspect with an increase for the recovery of surgeries, but argued for a deeper dive into IRS and VAT taxes.

"In health, we're pushing for a greater investment in surgery and consultation recovery. There's a slight increase, but we also advocate for the disclosure of waiting lists so each Madeiran knows their place, and we're campaigning for more support for oncology patients and the creation of a health observatory," said Luís Martins.

The JPP's vision revolves around three major pillars: reducing the cost of living, improving the health service, and addressing the housing issue. To ease household budgets, they've proposed adjustments in VAT rates as well as IRS (personal income tax) reductions, fostering cost control, and advocating for fiscal differential usage.

JPP aims to make the health system more responsive and efficient, focusing on trimming long waiting lists for non-urgent surgeries, consultations, exams, and procedures. They've emphasized the urgency of finding long-term sustainable housing solutions to prevent young people from emigrating due to the housing shortage.

Tax reforms, energy regulation, and public expenditure reviews are some key areas JPP is targeting to bring about change in Madeira. To summarize, the following proposals have been put forth by JPP:

Cost of Living Reduction
VAT Reduction: Proposed to lower general VAT from 22% to 21% and intermediate VAT from 12% to 11%.
IRS Reduction: Called for a 30% reduction in IRS, targeting brackets up to the 7th bracket.
Energy Regulation: Advocated for the regulation of energy products to control household expenses.
Public Expenditure Review: Propagated efficiency through effective public expenditure reduction.
Health Services Improvement: Mentioned the need to trim long waiting lists, boost health system efficiency.
Housing Issues: Emphasized the urgency to address the housing shortage to retain young residents and advocate for long-term solutions.

Stay tuned for further updates on Madeira's socio-economic transformation journey!

JPP's focus on cost reduction includes proposals for a lower VAT rate, reduction in IRS (personal income tax), and regulation of energy products to control household expenses, aiming to make living in Madeira more affordable.
JPP's plans for the regional budget prioritize the health sector, with a push for an increase in investment in surgery and consultation recovery, trimming long waiting lists, and creating a health observatory for better healthcare management.
In addition to health, JPP seeks to address the housing issue in Madeira, advocating for long-term solutions to prevent young people from emigrating due to the shortage of housing and curbing the cost of living.
Furthermore, JPP is targeting key areas such as tax reforms, energy regulation, and public expenditure reviews to bring about significant changes in Madeira's socio-economic landscape.
To promote workplace and personal wellness, JPP is campaigning for mental health support, fitness and exercise programs, and a proposed health observatory that would track healthcare trends in Madeira and deliver recommendations for improvements.