Ahead of Cataño's special mayoral election on Sunday, September 27 (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.), candidate Bethzaida Rodríguez Torres announced that a priority of her agenda would be raising the minimum hourly compensation for municipal employees currently earning less than $12.50 to that level, through a phased process beginning with her first municipal budget. She said the proposal responds to labor market realities, the need for the municipality to compete for human resources, and a principle of justice toward public servants.
Rodríguez Torres said the current municipal budget already identified and approved roughly $3 million in additional funds for employee compensation needs, providing a fiscal base for continued salary scale review. She emphasized the plan is not arbitrary and accounts for required budgetary and administrative processes, describing municipal workers as those who collect trash before dawn, care for the elderly, clean streets, and respond first to emergencies. She said the increase would be implemented with fiscal responsibility using clear figures.