Editor: Township councillors’ salaries increased to $42,936 in December, a 19 per cent increase. This is just ludicrous. They get double what City councillors receive, with two more councillors. Why?
Other than the mayors, being on council is not really a full-time, 40-hour week job. Do the math on the actual dollars being made per hour worked.
Instead of pleading that they are just keeping up with what other municipalities are doing, what all the councillors should have done unilaterally was put a motion forward to refuse the increase. This is especially true for the two newly-elected councillors, who had two weeks on the job.
This would have gained tons more respect from the public, and helped other municipalities follow and do the same. In so doing, council would show restraint and demonstrate cost-saving initiatives from elected officials.
The same goes for any other public service or union leaders in current or future labour negotiations. Businesses cannot go to the taxpayers pool to fund outrageous employee demands and wages, especially in current times. You have to show respect to earn it.
Catfish Potesta,