Editor, The News:
Re: Most on Maple Ridge council don’t want wage increase (The News, March 7).
I am quite offended. Are the municipal taxpaying citizens supposed to feel sorry for Coun. Al Hogarth?
If Mr. Hogarth had to forfeit $90,000 income in 2011 because he couldn’t market downtown developments due to his position on council, too bad. Considering that would be only a portion of his income, and the majority of Maple Ridge citizens don’t make anywhere near $90,000, I don’t feel sorry for him one bit. It’s not like anyone twisted his arm to run for council. He alone made that decision.
As a previous mayor and two-term councillor, Mr. Hogarth knew exactly the wages and decorum that came with the position he was committing to if winning the elected seat. If being on council is causing such a hardship on his retirement savings and taking bread and butter off his table, he should step down and give someone else a chance to serve the community. Perhaps someone without the obvious conflict of being a realtor sitting on municipal council.
J. Harding
Maple Ridge