Following remuneration cuts from the federal government, Colwood city council voted to give the incoming council a minor increase in pay.
Beginning in 2019, the next mayor and councillors will receive a 7.5 per cent increase B次元官网网址� which translates to a roughly $1.13 tax increase per household.
The increase comes after the federal government introduced legislation in 2017 to eliminate the 1/3 tax free allowance that is normally afforded to councillors to compensate for incidental expenses, such as business use of a personal cell phone, supplies, vehicle expenses and expenses incurred from working at home.
Coun. Cynthia Day said while most people who run for office are not in it for the money, councillors should be compensated fairly for the amount of hours that they put into the position.
B次元官网网址淚 think the tax policy was a good policy. Since that has changed itB次元官网网址檚 important to compensate, not myself, but the next council, whoever that may be in a way that makes it easy for them to do what weB次元官网网址檙e asking them to do, because it is a lot that we ask of people,B次元官网网址� she said during MondayB次元官网网址檚 council meeting.
Coun. Jason Nault agreed, noting councillors are required to do a lot more work compared to previous years.
B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 used to have 160-page agendas. In 2004, council was earning about $11.40 an hour. In 2016 that was up to $12.78. ItB次元官网网址檚 not like weB次元官网网址檙e being grossly overpaid,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚n 2019, it would bring it up to about $15 an hour, which is less than our lowest paid union worker.B次元官网网址�
But not everyone agreed. Coun. Gordie Logan was the lone councillor to vote against the change. He said in larger municipalities around Greater Victoria, councillors have chosen to give up their day jobs due to the workload, but Colwood hasnB次元官网网址檛 grown to that size yet.
B次元官网网址淚 work full-time so I donB次元官网网址檛 consider this a job, more giving back,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not at the size yet where someone can quit their job and take on this role. If we were the City of Victoria or Saanich, then perhaps it would make sense to make sure thereB次元官网网址檚 some financial incentive for folks to run because they have to give up their day time job.B次元官网网址�
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