Israeli minister: “Ministers can’t make ends meet”

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Yoram Gat

While criticizing tax increases planned by the Israeli government, it was suggested to the Minister for National Goals, Orit Strock, that ministers should “cut back on all the bounty [they] receive”. Strock replied: “What bounty? No minister receives a fat salary. I know ministers who are unable to make ends meet, despite working hard day and night, and even some ministers who are supported financially by their parents”.

The salary of Israeli ministers is about 4 times that of the average worker, and well into the top decile of incomes.

Filed under: Elections, Press |

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2 Responses

  1. Unknown's avatar
    Anonymous, on January 24, 2024 at 8:10 pm said:

    I wonder if this represents a plain disconnect between polititians and “the common people” in the sense suggested by the absurdity of this claim, or a manifestation of the echelons polititians come from. E.g. if polititians generally come from families with top x percent of wealth (x being the proverbial 1 or anywhere near), a salary merely at the top decile may genuinly appear to them as low.

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  2. Yoram Gat's avatar
    Yoram Gat, on January 25, 2024 at 7:45 am said:

    If “a salary merely at the top decile may genuinely appears to them as low” this is in itself an indication of disconnect with the economic reality in the country they rule. But beyond that, severe disconnect with public sentiment must also be at play because otherwise the statements made would be irrelevant in the context of criticism of increased taxation. Clearly this minister not only thinks that she is getting a modest salary (according to her personal standard), but also that the population at large should realize that this is the case (according to their standards) and stop thinking that ministers are rich.

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