Mayoral candidates will spend R$ 1,2 billion.
Despite the crisis, the election campaign is worth billions; spending exceeds the entire budget for expanding the Bolsa Família program; José Serra, from the PSDB party, in São Paulo, is the champion of expenses, with R$ 98 million; second is Fernando Haddad, from the PT party, with R$ 90 million; Lacerda will spend R$ 35 million on his reelection in Belo Horizonte.
Fernando Porfírio _247- A billion-dollar election despite the crisis. This is what the data released this Wednesday (17) by the Superior Electoral Court points to regarding the forecast of campaign spending, registered by candidates for the mayoralties of the 26 capitals of the country. According to the TSE, the 194 candidates project spending R$ 1,26 billion.
The large sum of money is equivalent to this year's budget for the "Brasil Carinhoso" program, launched in May by President Dilma Rousseff. The program aims to expand the Bolsa Família program to those with children up to six years old. The estimated expenditure is only a forecast and may or may not be committed by the candidates. Raising the amounts to the legally permitted limit is a strategy to avoid undeclared campaign contributions. By law, spending resources beyond the maximum amount can result in a fine.
However, a TSE (Superior Electoral Court) resolution allows for the expansion of this limit, provided that the increase is justified to the Electoral Court. The law stipulates that campaign expenses must originate from donations from private individuals or companies and public resources, through the Party Fund.
According to the TSE (Superior Electoral Court), the capital of São Paulo is at the top of the spending forecast. The 12 candidates running for mayor project spending a combined R$ 341,5 million. The PSDB (Brazilian Social Democracy Party) predicted, in a document submitted to the court, that José Serra's campaign spending limit is R$ 98 million. The PSDB candidate leads the national spending ranking, with a projected expenditure of R$ 98 million. In second place is the PT (Workers' Party) candidate, Fernando Haddad, who plans to spend R$ 90 million. Chalita will have a maximum budget of R$ 70 million.
The second capital city with the highest projected spending limit for the election campaign is Belo Horizonte – with R$ 80,7 million. Of this total, R$ 35 million is the projected spending of the current mayor and candidate for re-election, Márcio Lacerda (PSB).