This article is from cointelegraph.com.br and the original article can be read here in Portuguese
The mayors of Maceió (Alagoas) and Petrópolis (RJ) want to be the first leaders in Brazil to issue government non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Both believe that cryptocurrency technology can help the municipal administration to raise resources and promote other physical and virtual interactions with citizens.
In the case of Petrópolis, the city intends to issue NFTs to help in the recovery of the municipality hit this year by a strong environmental disaster.
The objective is to obtain resources for projects destined to the public works of repair, containment and/or reconstruction of areas in the first district of the Municipality of Petrópolis, in addition to the acquisition of real estate to help those who lost their homes during the tragedy that devastated the city.
Although the proposal is the issuance of NFTs in the case of the city of Rio de Janeiro, the idea emerged in the Federal Senate and was transformed by the Executive Power into a Bill that has already been approved by the City Council. Auctions are being planned with works by renowned artists.
The expectation is that the funds raised will be used in the first half of this year.
“Petrópolis needs major structural works for the recovery of affected areas and short, medium and long-term actions that are capable of reducing the risks of disasters. We are talking about better infrastructure and an effective housing policy. Going forward is not easy, but we need, all together – public authorities, the third sector, private initiative and civil society – to start”, stressed the Mayor, Councilman Hingo Hammes
Maceió
Who also wants to issue NFTs for the municipality is the mayor of Maceió, JHC, who sent a request for authorization to the City Council about the subject.
“The idea of the project is to put Maceió on the technological map once and for all, allowing the creation of digital assets that can be auctioned, generating resources for investment in purposes of public interest. With this, Maceió will, once again, adopt a vanguard stance and stand out among Brazilian capitals as disruptive”, argues Mayor JHC.
The Secretary of Governance, Antonio Carvalho, explained that with the NFTs, Maceió is authorized to auction goods and convert them into resources for the Municipality.
“The NFTs will allow for an increase in revenue, and make cultural points, works of art in the city become elements that are kept for posterity. In this way, by holding auctions, we can raise more resources for the Municipality, and with that, invest in development and in the technology part”, explained the secretary.