The mayor of the municipality of Arecibo, Carlos Molina Rodríguez, categorized as erroneous the statements offered by the newly elected mayor Carlos Ramirez Irizarry, on the alleged lack of liquidity to meet the operational expenses of the municipality, including the payment of electrical energy.
Irizarry had assured that during the Transition Committee’s public hearing process, bills from the Electric Power Authority (EEA) and the Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (AAA) would come to light for more than $ 45. million and $ 5 million respectively.
However, Molina Rodríguez said that the Contribution in Place of Taxes (CELI) applies to municipalities, which must be paid by the Electricity Authority (AEE) as compensation for energy consumption.
“The CELI is created for municipalities that do not pay electricity in exchange for the EEA does not pay municipalities the tax for the sale of energy and construction arbitrators who otherwise have to pay the municipalities,” he explained. holder.
According to the outgoing mayor, “to an arbitrary extent”, the AEE excludes municipal facilities from the CELI without proper notification and over estimating energy consumption. In accordance with the regulations of the CELI, all municipal properties or facilities that are used for non-profit activities or services, offered to the public free of cost or a lower cost of finger production must be sheltered. services.
“AEE is incorrectly reflecting the expenditure for the consumption of public lighting. It is a substantial expenditure due to the territorial extension of Arecibo. This unilateral action of the AEE is outside the law. The turnover and the amount reflected does not correspond to the municipality of Arecibo by provision of Law 57-2014 and Law No. 4-2016, “said Molina Rodriguez on the amount totaling $ 232,536.06.
“As part of his responsibilities, the elected mayor will have to address this point as a matter of priority that he has been discussing among all the municipalities of the island since the implementation of the CELI Regulation. This is to avoid carrying out confusing information in public forums that in the end end up confusing the people of Arecibo “, he added.
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