El Salvador president proposes dramatic reduction in number of municipalities to reduce tax burden

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador President Nayib Bukele wants to cut the number of municipalities in the country from 262 to 44 to reduce the tax burden. The proposal would require the approval of the country’s Legislative Assembly, in which Bukele’s party and its allies hold a majority. The president also proposed reducing the number of lawmakers in that body from 84 to 60. Bukele asked: “How is it possible that in a territory of 8,100 square miles (21,000 square kilometers) we have 262 municipalities?” The president’s New Ideas party controls the majority of the current municipalities.