Should Councillors be able to vote themselves a pay increase?
The following post is by Mike Cluett. Please visit Mike Cluett’s Milton blog site here:
Councillors Pay Increase
I just wanted to preface this with a statement. I am in favour of paying our politicians well for the work they do. I have no qualms with the amount of the pay increase recently approved by the Milton town council. I do however, have a problem with the way it’s done.
A councillor should not be able to vote themselves a pay increase. They do vote on all budget matters but this current council should not benefit from this decision. When it comes to pay increases we should have these decisions made effective the date the NEXT council is elected…
To continue reading this column, go to Mike Cluett’s Milton Blog.
July 18th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Mike’s right on the money! Vote for it right before an election and let the voters decide it as one of the issues.
Why is it I wonder, that politicians always seem to vote themselves pay raises shortly AFTER elections?
July 19th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Bang on, Mike. I don’t blame them for voting themselves a raise - honestly, who wouldn’t given the opportunity? Let’s not kid ourselves. But, there’s just no way to put a positive spin on it. This isn’t to say that local politicians don’t work hard or deserve the money, but to the general public it never looks good.
John Q. Public always has some sort of beef with politicians at every level - each person has their own opinion on several things that can be improved, or a way that tax dollars could be better spent - I know every Miltonian reading this right now more than likely feels this way. So, when you combine that with an article coming out in the paper about how Town Council just voted themselves all a decent raise - probably a much higher % increase than what the average person receives as well, it never comes across in a positive light.
If they just vote on a raise effective the date the next council is elected (which they will do, because they have to believe they will be re-elected), it comes across with a bit more of a positive spin. Yes, there’s a chance each Councillor will personally benefit, but it also shows that they’re ‘looking out for their own’ as well. Yes, John Q. Public will still grumble, but probably not as loudly.
Same result, better PR.
Any politician should understand the benefits of that equation.