Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD) town councillors denounced the excess of political appointees at the city municipality yesterday. They said that the municipality payroll is padded with ghost positions, at a time when the municipality is complaining of a lack of funds to perform its duties. The PLD councillors have complained that the municipality dedicates 40% of its budget to pay wages. They denounced that the municipality has appointed 15 consultants, seven assistants to the mayor, and that vice mayor Peggy Cabral has nine assistants, when she long time ago took a leave of absence to dedicate herself to the political campaign of Hipólito Mejía. Also denounced are the 159 lawyers, 411 inspectors and 175 supervisors on the payroll, most without definite job assignments. The PLD councillors criticized that the municipality has on its payroll a liaison with the state university and another with congress. Meanwhile, they say city public works are not being carried out. They said that of the budgeted RD$16.5 million for fixing city streets, the municipality has only been able to disburse RD$505,000. PLD councillors also requested a detailed account of the cultural activities carried out by PRD acting president Tony Raful, who was appointed director of cultural affairs at the municipality, and receives RD$35,000 a month for his services.
