Palmas Cancels Official 2025 New Year's Eve Party

The city of Palmas will not hold an official Réveillon celebration for the 2025/2026 transition. Mayor Eduardo Siqueira Campos announced the decision, citing the R$ 9.5 million cost of the previous event. The administration is prioritizing the 'quality of public spending' over the festivities. Resources are being redirected to community restaurants and health units. The Mayor highlighted that the party cost equals the annual budget for community restaurants feeding 88,000 people. Cost containment measures include suspending new hiring and eliminating 12 secretariats to save R$ 20 million annually. Residents have expressed mixed reactions to the cancellation.

The Mayor of Palmas, Eduardo Siqueira Campos, confirmed that the city will not host an official New Year's Eve party. The decision was made due to the high cost of previous events. The Mayor stated that the administration's priority is the quality of public spending. He emphasized that resources must be directed to areas with a direct social impact.

During an interview, the Mayor compared the cost of the celebration to the city's social programs. The previous Réveillon event cost R$ 9.5 million. This amount matches the annual expenditure for the city's community restaurants. These restaurants serve 88,000 people every month. The Mayor posed a rhetorical question regarding the prioritization of these funds.

Eduardo Siqueira Campos explained his position on the matter. He stated:

"Não há que se falar em cancelamento de Réveillon, mas a gente tem 88 mil pessoas comendo nos restaurantes comunitários por mês, com gasto anual é de R$ 9,5 milhões. Como não priorizar? Eu prefiro pensar naquelas 88 mil pessoas que estão comendo ali"

The Mayor also noted that the current administration faces revenue frustration. Despite these challenges, he highlighted achievements such as the inauguration of five family health units. The Mayor argued that spending R$ 9.5 million on a party for 20,000 to 30,000 people is less efficient than feeding 88,000 people monthly.

In addition to canceling the New Year's Eve party, the municipal administration has implemented strict measures to reduce expenses. On November 12, 2025, a decree was published establishing spending containment measures for the municipal public administration. This decree is valid until April 30, 2026.

The measures include:

• Suspension of authorization for new expenses in direct and indirect administration
• Prohibition of new public competitions or convocation of approved candidates
• Hiring of personnel for a determined period is suspended

Furthermore, the Prefeitura de Palmas announced the extinction of 12 secretariats, foundations, and agencies. This administrative reform is expected to save approximately R$ 20 million per year for the public coffers. The reduction of commissioned positions was also published in the Official Diary of the Municipality.

The cancellation of the Réveillon party has generated discussion among the residents of Palmas. The event is considered a tradition where residents and visitors gather on the waterfront for music and fireworks. However, some citizens understand the budgetary prioritization.

One student, Ítalo Bruno, expressed disappointment but acknowledged the reasoning. He stated that while it is a shame to lose a tradition, he understands if the investment is directed to important areas like health. Conversely, resident Cláudia Orquiza criticized the argument that the party funds are being moved to health. She argued that public budgets have specific destinations and cannot be simply reallocated, noting that "Health has one budget, Culture has another."

The municipal administration confirmed that there will be no programming for the New Year's Eve celebration. The Mayor defended the choice to invest money where the social impact is more essential. The administration continues to face revenue challenges while attempting to address debts left by the previous management, which a secretary claimed could reach R$ 300 million.