Peramola Mayor Cuts Salary and Dedication Due to Business Ties

Peramola's mayor, Joan Puig Bellido, approved a cut to his salary on Monday evening during a municipal council session, citing fiscal obligations tied to his business interests.

The decision reduces his dedication to the role from 75% to 50%, with a corresponding drop in pay from the town hall. Puig Bellido explained that the change stems from his ownership of companies and limited liability entities, where he must allocate exactly 50% commitment to one of them. Previously, a family member handled most of the workload for the main firm, but he now needs to take on more responsibility there.

Despite the adjustment, the mayor insisted his actual involvement at the council would remain unchanged. "I go to the town hall every day, or almost every day," he said. "The administrative assistant handles her duties, and we're well organised to manage things this way."

The move passed smoothly in a session far calmer than the previous one, which ended with residents confronting an opposition councillor. However, Toni Mas of the Compromís group voiced concerns on social media, calling the choice legitimate on a personal level but problematic institutionally. He warned it could diminish the mayor's effective political presence, shifting the council's operational weight to the administrative assistant.

Mas also argued this breached Puig Bellido's electoral commitments and highlighted similar issues in nearby municipalities like Bassella—where the mayor lives in Solsona and serves as deputy president of the comarcal council—and Coll de Nargó. "This isn't democracy," Mas said. "It's a way of operating that might be effective—and has worked in the area for a long time—but it's certainly not democratic."