The salaries of heads of local authorities and their deputies have been raised by thousands of shekels a month. The following reflects the salaries of the public representatives in the chareidi cities, the same areas that will seek the public’s support once again in less than a year when elections are held.

According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, there are 257 heads of local authorities in Israel and 294 paid deputies. The increase in salaries paid by the government ministers during the discussions of the budget in 2019 last month directly affects the salaries of representatives of local authorities. The circular issued by Interior Ministry director-general Mordechai Cohen shows that the salaries of mayors and deputy mayors have risen between NIS 4,000 and NIS 5,000 a month respectfully.

The Kikar Shabbos News survey indicates that the increase in salaries was expected to be seen last month in the bank account of the respective public official, but they will see it only from next month, when the money will be paid retroactively from the beginning of 2018. Beginning next month, the salaries of local authority heads in which there are more than 250,000 residents will be NIS 44,223. According to the new data, the heads of the large municipalities will receive an increase of NIS 5,000 compared with the heads of the small local authorities, who will be eligible for a NIS 4,000 salary increase.

Thus, the mayor of Modi’in Illit, Yaakov Gutterman (Degel Hatorah) earns NIS 40,685 gross, while in 2017 Gutterman’s paycheck was NIS 36,097, compared with his colleague Chanoch Zeibert (Agudas Yisrael), mayor of Bnei Brak, who earns about NIS 42,896 because of the number of residents in the city of Bnei Brak, which has exceeded 200,000. Gutterman, whose city has about 70,000 residents, will be entitled to an increase in salary when the city passes 100,000 residents.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is entitled to a higher salary due to the fact that his city has surpassed 250,000 residents. Barkat is entitled to approximately NIS 44,223 a month, the same salary as that received by a minister, whereas in 2007 Barkat was entitled to NIS 39,236. It should be noted that Barkat, who made his fortune from business, does not take a salary from the municipality and settles for only one shekel.

We found the wage gaps between the mayors and the chareidi councils in other places. Thus, the head of the Emanuel Council, Ezra Gershi (Shas), in which there are only 4,000 residents, earns NIS 35,378 – according to the new data – a salary slip documenting a community or a council with fewer than 5,000 residents. In contrast, the salary slip of the mayor of Beit Shemesh, Moshe Abutbul (Shas), stands at NIS 42,896 after his city has more than 100,000 residents. In 2017 Abutbul was entitled to NIS 38,059.

The head of Rechasim, Yitzchak Reich (Degel Hatorah), which has about 12,000 residents, receives a paycheck of NIS 38,032, as compared to a salary of NIS 33,743 in the year 2017. Mayor of Betar Illit Meir Rubinstein (Shlomi Emunim) receives a salary of NIS 40,685, a sum to which the head of a community with more than 50,000 residents is entitled, and in 2017 Rubinstein received a salary of NIS 36,097. On the other hand, the mayor of Elad, Yisrael Porush (Shlomi Emunim) has a salary slip NIS 39,801, since his city has less than 50,000 residents.

The salaries of deputy mayors also increased by NIS 4,000 a month. Thus, the salary slip of the deputy mayor of Jerusalem Yitzhak Pindrus, stands at NIS 35,378, while his colleague from the city of Elad, Shmuel Grossbard receives NIS 31,841, as does deputy mayor Elad Tzuriel Krisfel.

Other chareidi mayors, whose salaries amount to the highest amount, are deputy mayor of Jerusalem Yossi Deutsch, Chaim Epstein and Yitzchak Cohen with a salary of NIS 35,378, as the city of Jerusalem has more than 250,000 residents. The deputy mayor of Ashdod, Moti Lieberman, and Avi Amsalem, as well as Ofer Carmi, deputy mayor of Beersheva, are cities with more than 250,000 residents.

Bnei Brak: Menahem Shapira, Eli Dadon and Avraham Rubinstein, from Beit Shemesh: Shmuel Greenberg, from Petah Tikva: Uriel Boso, from Netanya: Chaggai Hadad (from Netanya: Shas), and from the city of Bat Yam Rafi Bernaz, deputy mayor (Shas).

The deputy mayors with over 50,000 residents receive a salary of NIS 32,548, for example, Avner Amar and Mordechai Goldberg of Modi’in Illit, Yehuda Obeidi and Yitzhak Ravitz of Betar Illit and Michael Deri of Ramle.

A salary slip with a lower sum of NIS 31,841 is given to deputy mayors who have fewer than 50,000 residents, including Nehorai Lahiani – Tzefas, Shmuel Grossbard and Tzuri Krisfel – Elad, while deputy mayor Ofakim Avraham Deitch has a salary slip of NIS 31,133, since his city has fewer than 30,000 residents.

As noted, the salaries of mayors are linked proportionally to the size of the city and the salaries of the ministers. MK Moshe Gafni, chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, told the Yediot Achronot that he was not aware that the salaries of the local council heads were close to the salaries of the ministers, but added that even if he were aware of the matter, the committee’s decision would have remained the same.

“I’m not responsible for the heads of the local councils and their salaries, and my job is the salaries of the ministers and judges. Finance Ministry representative should have said, ‘You will know that this has implications for all kinds of things.’ He does not have to attach the salaries of the mayors to the salaries of the ministers, as he is not compelled to do so under the law.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)