In a measure that has raised divided opinions, the mayor of Los Cabos, Christian Agúndez Gómez, defended the recently approved increase in the right to environmental sanitation included in the Municipal Finance Law.
According to him, this reform seeks to generate resources to correct the financial imbalance of the municipality and promote sustainable development.
“We received a city hall in critical conditions, with a debt of more than 3,200 million pesos and an administrative mess that took us to the credit bureau,” warned the mayor.
“This increase is not a whim, it is a necessity for Los Cabos to move forward as it should have from the beginning,” said Agúndez Gómez.
When does it come into effect?
The new provision, which will come into effect on January 1, 2025, establishes an increase to 70% of the Unit of Measurement and Update (UMA) per day, as a fee for environmental sanitation for traditional accommodations and twice the value of the UMA for properties managed by digital platforms, such as Airbnb.
In addition, it introduces new taxes of 50% of the daily value of the Unit of Measurement and Update (UMA) for the rental of recreational vehicles and boats.
In the case of restaurants and bars, an additional charge of 10% of the daily value of the UMA will be applied to consumption greater than four units (approximately 440 pesos).
According to Agúndez Gómez, these changes will allow approximately 800 million pesos to be collected annually.
This resource is not for luxuries; it will go directly to social infrastructure, to the colonies that today lack basic services. We cannot speak of a first-world tourist destination with communities that seem forgotten.
To ensure the correct use of the income, the law contemplates the creation of municipal trusts dedicated to environmental and financial sanitation.
These organizations must present quarterly reports to the state congress, ensuring that the funds are exclusively allocated to works with an ecological impact, such as wastewater treatment, improving public lighting with efficient technology and the rehabilitation of public spaces.
Business support and resistance
Although he affirmed that sectors such as the Coordinating Council of Los Cabos (CCC) and the Association of Hotels of Los Cabos collaborated in the formulation of the reform, the approval of these increases has generated tensions in the business sphere.
It is not easy to ask more of our tourists or businesses, but we need a financial balance that allows us to plan the future of Los Cabos responsibly
Mayor of Los Cabos
For his part, business leaders such as Julio Castillo, president of the CCC, pointed out the importance of implementing parallel measures of austerity and efficiency in the municipal administration.
“The reform is a first step, but we need concrete actions to reduce the overrepresentation of the payroll and improve tax collection without drowning taxpayers,” he said.
A destination in transition
Starting in 2025, Los Cabos will face the challenge of implementing these measures successfully and without losing its tourist appeal.
“We cannot afford to repeat mistakes; this is our opportunity to show that economic development and sustainability can go hand in hand,” concluded Agúndez Gómez.
Source: oem
