Editor, The News:
Re: Pitt council pay increases partly in reaction to federal tax changes.
We are disheartened to see that our mayor and council saw fit to give themselves a large wage increase.
Apparently, they felt hard done by that they now have to pay federal taxes on all of their income from their municipal positions (small violin) – even though they can now claim expenses against their income, which would have, and will, increase their ‘take-home pay.’
Everyone raise their hands who have had a $10,000 or $20,000 wage increase, ever? All in one fiscal year.
There was input that if they were going to do this, no matter what, that they at least spread it out over two to three years of their term.
Am I the only one who sees that they are, in fact, being paid what an administrative person of reasonable seniority would get paid for a 40-hour a week job (perhaps outside of the union, but we can’t all have union pay scales)?
That they are only sitting for a limited amount of time each month (recently reduced), and each year they are basically off for the summer, stats and breaks.
They indicate that a citizens committee drew up recommendations, but I am sure it was a small sampling (200-person committees would be a bit unwieldy) and everyone in Pitt was not consulted, but still pays.
Not fair.
Darlene and
Jeff Mercer
Pitt Meadows