CRIM executive director to step down at end of month

Outgoing Municipal Revenue Collections Center Executive Director Reinaldo Paniagua Látimer

By THE STAR STAFF

Municipal Revenue Collections Center (CRIM by its acronym in Spanish) Executive Director Reinaldo Paniagua Látimer will leave his post at the end of this month.

Paniagua informed Jesús Colón Berlingeri, chairman of the CRIM governing board and mayor of Orocovis, of his decision to resign from his position, effective Sept. 30.

In his resignation letter, Paniagua Látimer said his decision is motivated by personal family matters and opportunities in the private sector, where he had previously enjoyed a successful career before joining the government. Sources have said he is leaving as some mayors have expressed discontent with his work, but they did not cite specific actions. A prevailing issue has been the mayors’ opposition to the repeal of the inventory tax, which supplies needed revenues to municipalities.

During his tenure, Paniagua Látimer implemented significant changes at CRIM, including the integration of technology, staff training, and the negotiation of amendments to the classification and compensation plan, as well as regulations for collecting overdue debts. Those efforts led to the cancellation of multimillion-dollar municipal loans due in 2032.

Additionally, he successfully negotiated the debt of the municipality of Ponce, providing that city with much-needed financial relief.

Paniagua Látimer also highlighted the importance of increasing collections, a goal that has been realized over the past seven years, as demonstrated by a substantial and sustained increase in CRIM’s revenue.