There’s something to be said about how much a municipal representative earns in Muskoka. Those who enter municipal politics certainly don’t do it for the money and those who argue that we should pay our councillors more, so that those representing us aren’t just made up of retirees or the independently wealthy, have a point.
Although one might also argue the job is only meant to be part time, especially given the small communities councillors represent and the army of bureaucrats at their disposal.
Either way, the conversation is an interesting one and one that should take place within the community. Increasing the wage of a single-tier councillor to a living wage (the highest paid are Gravenhurst councillors at $20,261) has merit if you believe what’s required of said councillors warrants it.
The problem is, some councillors have no qualms about giving themselves a raise, and if we disagree with their tactics, there’s nothing we can do about it. We’re stuck with their decision until the next election.
Every other employee depends on a performance review and the nod from their boss, before a raise is considered. While municipal representatives certainly have the ability to give themselves a raise, the District Municipality of Muskoka has it right when, out of principle, councillors there prefer to vote on raises effective the following term of council. That way, they are not giving themselves a raise and there is an election between them and that raise.
The same cannot be said in the Township of Lake of Bays. There, councillors, with the exception of one, have no shame in giving themselves a five per cent raise per year, starting next month. Worse yet is the fact that the raise is not part of already budgeted funds.
Why didn’t they discuss giving themselves a raise during budget deliberations? Every department including public libraries, were asked to cut costs and here is council, a month later, giving itself a raise?
The move was prompted by Lake of Bays Mayor Bob Young, who by the way currently earns $46,850, more than the mayors of Huntsville or Bracebridge and a lot more than many of the people living in his municipality, the same people he is also supposed to be representing.
If Young is trying to create support among his councillors by giving them a raise, he should have left himself out of the equation. Either way, giving yourself an unbudgeted raise without going to the people first, smacks of self-entitlement.
TdV