The new president of the National Association of Municipalities (ANMP), the social democrat Pedro Pimpão, defended this Saturday, December 13th, increases in the salaries of mayors and municipal employees, recognizing, however, that it is a sensitive topic for ordinary citizens.
“Naturally, this is an issue that is sensitive to ordinary citizens, but I think it is an issue that also needs to be analyzed, because mayors also deserve to have remuneration compatible with their responsibilities.. The mayors and workers in our chambers”, he said, speaking to journalists, after being elected president of the ANMP for the next four years.
For Pimpão, the revisions must be for “all those who dedicate themselves to local power”, because the “contribution that municipalities have made to the development of the country” must be accompanied by “remunerative appreciation”.
“I wanted to share with you a concern that I also have as mayor. It is the need for us to also increase and value the remuneration of workers and directors of the local public administration, of our municipal councils, because we also need to retain talent in our councils. And, for that, they also deserved to see their careers valued and also fairer, more transparent evaluation systems that value merit”, he stated.
“I have no problem saying that. It is not a flag, it is not a priority, but it is also an area that must be taken into accounta”, he highlighted.
Hundreds of mayors are meeting until Sunday at a congress in Viana do Castelo, after the local councils, to elect the new ANMP leaders and to debate the most relevant topics for municipalities in the coming years, namely autonomy, decentralization, local financing, sustainability and territorial cohesion.
This Saturday, the first topic under debate was “Autonomy and Decentralization”, and, on Sunday, the president of the Chamber of Loures (PS), Ricardo Leão, will bring up the topic of “Local Financing” for debate, taking into account that a new local finance law is one of the mayors’ main demands.
On the same day, Francisco Lopes (PSD), president of Lamego City Council, will bring the topic “Sustainability and Cohesion” to the mayors’ debate.
On Sunday afternoon, the resolution of the XXVII ANMP Congress will be debated and then voted on, with the main conclusions and commitments of the municipalities for the next term.