Panama City Mayor Denies Proposal to Increase Local Representatives' Salaries

Panama City Mayor Mayer Mizrachi has firmly denied reports of a proposal within the Municipal Council to raise the salaries of local representatives by $1,000. Mizrachi stated that the discussion did not originate from the council members of the Municipality of Panama, despite seeing headlines about a supposed increase.

Rodolfo Rodríguez, a local representative for Parque Lefevre, explained that the topic of salary adjustments is part of broader national discussions concerning reforms to the Decentralization Law. He emphasized that it is not an initiative that emerged from within the Municipality of Panama itself.

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No such proposal came from the council members of the Municipality of Panama. I also saw those headlines, but I can tell you that this conversation does not exist in the district of Panama.

Rodríguez also suggested that any potential salary adjustments should not be applied uniformly. He argued that not all representatives shoulder the same level of responsibility, pointing out that some manage significant duties in the capital city while others oversee smaller districts. He believes there should be equity and balance in any such review.

While acknowledging that representatives' salaries should be reviewed, Rodríguez stressed the importance of considering the distinct differences between various districts and the specific responsibilities each local authority undertakes. This nuanced approach, he contends, is crucial for any fair evaluation of compensation.

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Not all representatives have to earn $1,000 more. Truly, some of us have very heavy responsibilities in the capital city, while others are in smaller districts. There must be equity, there must be balance.