A councilor from Llucmajor will earn 40,000 euros as an advisor to the Binissalem City Council.

PalmIn Llucmajor, as well as in other large municipalities, being an opposition councilor can be more profitable than being on the governing team or even the mayor. A current example of this situation, but not the only one, is the case of Alexandre Gaffar, councilor for Libertad Llucmajor, who works part-time for three hours a day for which he receives €20,279.04 in 14 payments. Furthermore, since August 1, according to the BOIB (Spanish Official Gazette of the Basque Country), he has been an advisor to the Binissalem City Council, a position for which he will be paid €40,000. Therefore, in a calendar year, without taking into account any salary increases that different councils may make in the coming years, Gaffar will earn €60,279.04 gross. That is, €4,596.33 more than the mayor of Llucmajor, Xisca Lascolas.

ARA Baleares has contacted Gaffar, who explained that he will proceed in the same way he did when he was a civil servant at Lloseta City Council and later a teacher. "Compatibility between both positions will be requested, as in the past," he says. He also asserts that there are other municipal councilors with similar circumstances. That is, with well-paid positions and who are paid thousands of euros by the Llucmajor City Council for their part-time work of three or six hours a day. He cites the cases of an opposition councilor and three councilors from the governing team who work six hours a day and have outside jobs.

Gaffar says he'll be able to do both jobs "without a problem," although the position of Economic Services advisor in Binissalem requires a full-time position. "In the end, the opposition councilors are working at night," he argues. In Llucmajor, a regular monthly plenary session is held at 7 p.m.

What does the law say?

Article 5 of the State Law on Incompatibilities allows for the duplication of functions in specific cases, such as in the case of members of local councils, unless they are full-time councilors. "In the cases covered by this article, only the remuneration corresponding to one of the two activities may be received, without prejudice to any allowances, compensation, or assistance that correspond to the other," the article states. "However, in the case of part-time members, remuneration may be received for such dedication, provided that they perform it outside of their working hours in the Administration, and without in any case exceeding the limits established for all purposes, where applicable."

Cases like Gaffar's are regulated. Both the Administration where the elected official performs the new role and the one where the new role is part-time must communicate to each other the working hours and the remuneration received by the affected person, as well as any changes in both aspects: working time and salary.