If the election of a congressional delegation from Puerto Rico occurs, Pedro Pierluisi’s government plans to allocate a salary between $ 150,000 and $ 180,000 to the six delegates, multiple independent sources said, Metro assured.
While La Fortaleza did not offer a specific amount for delegates’ salaries, they affirmed in written statements that it will parallel “what their colleagues are charging” with respect to congressmen. This would put the salary in the line described by Metro sources. In addition, according to the Secretary of the Interior, the money will come from the budget allocation of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA, for the acronym in English). The governor, Pedro Pierluisi, foresaw today that the budget he will present will not necessarily be in line with the tax plan of the Tax Control Council. Fortaleza has not asked Metro detailed questions as to whether they will seek approval from the board to allocate money to cover the salaries of Congressional delegates.
However, the reality of a shared delegation jeopardizes the law that allows a special election to elect this congressional delegation from Puerto Rico. The law, which could be repealed, does not detail the salaries these six people would earn.
Under Law 167 of 2020, the State Election Commission (CEE) will be required to hold special elections to elect two special deputies to the United States Senate and four to the federal House of Representatives so that they can work for the demand for Puerto Rico to become a state admitted after the “mandate of the people expressed on November 3”.
These delegates, who, in order to be eligible to run in the elections, must live on the island or in Washington DC and speak English and Spanish, must “work full-time during the term of office to achieve that goal,” that of state. The costs and salaries of these officials, who would start their duties on July 1 this year, would be borne by PRFAA.
Election funds
The EEC continues to ask for funds to hold the elections to elect these “congressmen”. Until last Thursday, President Francisco Rosado Colomer said he would need about $ 8.9 million, changing the figure to $ 6.6 million.
PIP is trying to eliminate the law
The Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) introduced two bills to repeal Law 167, known as the Law to Create Puerto Rico’s Congressional Delegation ”. In the case of the Senate, María de Lourdes Santiago submitted Bill 0094 and in the House of Representatives Denis Márquez House Bill 1039, both with the same goal.