The Chamber of São Bernardo do Campo unanimously approved in an extraordinary session this Friday (3) a proposal that gives permission to the mayor of the municipality, Marcelo Lima (Podemos), to return the city to the ABC Consortium – formed by cities in the region that seek funds and projects from the federal and state governments for Santo André, São Bernardo, Diadema, Ribeirão Pires Rio Grande da Serra and Mauá. Currently, São Caetano do Sul is outside the group, but there is a sign from the current mayor, Tite Campanella (PL), to return to the group in the coming weeks.
The City of São Bernardo stated, in a statement, that the return to the ABC Consortium “enables this realignment to the collegiate, which aims to discuss common public policies between the seven cities”. THE Estadão found that Mayor Lima will try to strengthen ties between the seven cities of ABC Paulista in an attempt to increase industrialization rates, a sector that became a reference for the region in the 1980s and 1990s.
“Our mission is dialogue, focusing on people. Politics is an instrument of transformation. With this approval of the project, São Bernardo is repositioning itself at the regional, state and national levels, opening up again for debate on large projects that can be articulated together in the region, within the perspective that cities, in different cases, can build solutions for collective interests”, stated Lima, who took office as mayor last Wednesday, 1st, for the 2025-2028 term.
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São Bernardo has been outside the ABC Consortium since 2022, when the then mayor Orlando Morando (at the time in the PSDB, now without a party) decided to leave the group along with São Caetano (at the time led by fellow tucano José Auricchio) and Ribeirão Pires. A few days later, Ribeirão returned to the consortium.
There were internal differences between the mayors, which led the then tucana wing to abandon the consortium. In 2022, PT), mayor of Mauá, and José de Fillipi Jr (PT), then head of the Executive Branch of Diadema, were elected to command the economic bloc, which displeased opponents.
Subsequently, Morando and Auricchio claimed that the high costs of the Consortium’s monthly fees are not compatible with the reality of the municipalities. The value is around R$350 thousand per month.
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Debt installments are approved in São Bernardo
Still in this Friday’s extraordinary session, the councilors of the largest city in ABC Paulista approved installments of municipal debts called “Tudo em Dia”. The proposal will be valid from February and citizens and companies with debts related to Urban Property and Territorial Tax (IPTU), Service Tax (ISS) and fees will be able to have an exemption or discount on interest, fines and compensatory additions to facilitate settlement.
