Mayor Paloma Tejero announces that Pozuelo will be the first municipality in the region to join Bicimad, with the bike lane network expanded to 70 kilometres. Additionally, IBI drops to 0.40%, the minimum allowed, and the vados fee is eliminated.
Pozuelo de Alarcón is preparing for a summer of changes. The mayor, Paloma Tejero, has unveiled the plans of the City Council for the coming months, with sustainable mobility and tax reductions as the main highlights. The most notable announcement is the arrival of Bicimad in the municipality, a service that until now only operated in the capital.
According to the mayor, the bike-sharing system will begin operating coinciding with the Carmen festivities, scheduled for mid-July. The inauguration will be attended by the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, a gesture that underscores the collaboration between both administrations. Pozuelo thus becomes the first municipality in the Community of Madrid to integrate into the Bicimad network, a step that Tejero considers key to promoting sustainable mobility.
The launch of this service is not coincidental. The City Council has doubled the bike lane network, which has increased from 40 to nearly 70 kilometres in recent years. These shared lanes connect the main points of the municipality and facilitate travel to the capital. The younger residents, according to the mayor, have been the main drivers of this demand, and the City Council has responded with an investment aimed at reducing the use of private cars.
Safety: less crime and more officers
Safety remains one of the priorities of the municipal government. Tejero has boasted that Pozuelo maintains the lowest crime rate in the entire Community of Madrid, a fact she attributes to constant investment in human and technological resources. The Municipal Police force will continue to grow until it reaches 170 officers, while equipment is being strengthened with new vehicles, tasers, drones, and an ambitious deployment of surveillance cameras.
The goal, according to the mayor, is to exceed 500 surveillance devices distributed throughout the municipality. These cameras, combined with police presence, allow for more effective prevention. Tejero has highlighted that crime in Pozuelo is 30% lower than the regional average, a fact that encourages residents to feel safe in their streets. However, the mayor has warned that vigilance must not be lowered, which is why the budget in this area continues to increase.
For residents, this commitment to safety translates into greater peace of mind. Foot and bike patrols are common in the neighbourhoods, and the response to incidents is, according to municipal sources, increasingly swift. The City Council has also launched awareness programs to prevent burglaries in homes and scams targeting the elderly.
Tax reduction: IBI at minimum and elimination of vados fee
Fiscal policy is another key aspect of Tejero's management. The mayor has announced a new reduction in the Property Tax (IBI), which will drop from 0.42% to the legal minimum of 0.40%. Additionally, the vados fee, a tax affecting owners of garages and private access points, will be eliminated. Both measures, according to the City Council, will allow more than two million euros to remain in the hands of residents and businesses.
Tejero has argued that reducing taxes not only eases the fiscal burden but also promotes economic activity and ultimately has a positive impact on municipal revenue. In her view, a municipality with less tax pressure attracts more investment and generates employment. Residents will notice the savings in their pockets: an average home in Pozuelo, valued at around 300,000 euros, will pay about 60 euros less per year in IBI.
The elimination of the vados fee, on the other hand, will provide relief for thousands of property owners. Until now, each vado cost around 50 euros annually, an amount many considered excessive. With this measure, the City Council aims to simplify procedures and reduce bureaucracy. Tejero has assured that these reductions are possible thanks to efficient management of public resources.
The standoff with Moncloa over the reception centre
The interview also left room for significant political issues. The mayor has not hidden her toughness towards the government of Pedro Sánchez, accusing it of acting disloyally in the conflict over the reception centre for asylum seekers located in the municipality. According to Tejero, the central government attempted to modify the use of the facilities without following the urban planning procedures required of any administration.
The mayor has reminded that the City Council has already submitted objections and will resort to the courts if necessary. For residents, this standoff translates into uncertainty about the future of the centre, which currently houses around fifty people. Tejero has defended that Pozuelo is a compassionate city, but it cannot allow urban planning regulations to be violated. The conflict is expected to drag on for the coming months.
On a national level, the mayor has criticized the government's fiscal policy, which she considers detrimental to the middle classes and businesses. She has advocated for a widespread tax reduction and greater municipal autonomy. Pozuelo, she says, is an example that good management can be achieved with less tax pressure.
Residents of Pozuelo have a summer of new developments ahead. The arrival of Bicimad will allow travel to Madrid without a car, while the reduction in IBI will ease their financial burden. Safety, with more officers and cameras, will continue to be a pillar of the city. However, the standoff with the central government over the reception centre promises to be a topic of discussion.
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