Editor, The News:
Re: Trustees vote for pay raise (The News, Oct. 28).
I know I am not the only one out there who feels it is not right when a group funded by my tax dollars gets to vote on whether the same group gets a pay increase.
I don’t care if the proposal was for a two per cent increase or a 20 per cent increase, and I don’t care if the members are incoming, outgoing or rolling around the mulberry bush – I think some other party should make that decision.
It’s just daft to give trustees this decision because ultimately there’s a 50/50 chance the incoming trustees will benefit with extra change in their pocket, even if some were not in favour of the increase. Those are pretty good odds that our tax dollars will not be spent directly on education. Will trustees in favour of the pay freeze give that money back?
I wish we could remove monetary compensation for this role because a person who steps up to the plate without compensation would be on the road to earning my trust.
Look, I’m no fool. I understand there are a multitude of factors that play into expenditures of almost $500,000 per day within our local school district. I just happen to feel that voting against a wage increase for school trustees is a no-brainer.
Broadly speaking, I think this wage increase is another example of the disconnect between municipal decision-makers and the everyday voter who cares about what is going on in this community, but is busy getting dinner on the table and the kids to bed on time.
I know I represent the fastest growing demographic in this area and wish that others in my peer group would realize the power of our voice and vote for change to get some real work done.
Melanie Matthews
Maple Ridge