Practicing What We Preach At City Hall?
Monday, February 20, 2012 @ 3:45 AM
There is an age old saying that you should practice what you preach. It is a fair statement in that people who suggest that something should change should be prepared to lead by example.
Looking at the Mayor and Council revenue and expenditures for the year 2011 and the proposed budget for 2012 you get the distinct feeling such is not the case when it comes to our City Council.
The total expenditures for 2011 for salary and wages and non salary expenses totalled $ 585,000 dollars. Of that figure in 2011, $295,719 went to salaries. That figure will climb to $371,331 this year.
So the Council of the day will receive $75,000 more in 2012, a year in which the buzz word is "restraint".
You should also be aware of that figure of $371,000, one third (or $123,000) is tax free. Apparently that is for the out of pocket expenses of the Council members.
The Council members however also do enjoy an expense account of $6,000 each year.
Now Councillor Cameron Stolz preached during the civic election that he would practice "common sense" and "fiscal responsibility". Councillor Stolz sat on the Finance committee; he is now head of that committee and the influence that comes with it. Stolz racked up $12,000.00 dollars in expenses in 2011 on a budget of $6,000.00.
So much for that restraint. The Finance chair may be calling for the people around him to exercise restraint, practicing that in 2011 was a different matter.
In 2012, $871,598.000 is being budgeted for the Mayor and Council salaries and expenses. That’s $285,698 more than the $585,900 spent last year or an increase of 51 ½ per cent.
The average wage earner is being called upon to hold their increases to 3%, not so when it comes to our leaders at city hall.
I’m Meisner, and that’s one man’s opinion.
Comments
You are bang on Ben, maybe we should just leave our city council alone and just let them self destruct. They give themselves heafty raises when the workers are asked to “hold the line in our wage demands”. Sooner than later our councilors will price themselves out of a job.
Att. to the councillor:
Drinking water straight from the tap in Prince George may have predictable and undesired consequences!
Just kidding, of course! ;-)
I think Stolz is just trying to make the point that $6,000 just is not enough for everyone. Some Councillors need to be looked upon as more equal than others.
What is the average wage for a councillor? Are PG’s councillors paid more than those in comparible cities? If PG’s concillors are higher paid, you could make a case for sure.
Personally, I wouldn’t want their jobs at the wages they get.
Hey you need a big expense account to find all those free grants, don’t you know?
The average person is not interested in becoming a politician, only a special type of person would seek that sort of job.
;>)
metalman.
metalman: “The average person is not interested in becoming a politician”
I would agree with that. Most average people want to armchair quarterback, rather than get involved.
Councilor Stolz seems to be doing whatever he wants when it comes to traveling on our tax dollars. I wonder how he would view one of the staff at the city going over budget by 100%.
Going slightly over budget is one thing, but the blatant disregard for the budget altogether when it comes to his own travel is unbeleiveable.
“Personally, I wouldn’t want their jobs at the wages they get.”
I get no wages from the City, yet I have helped the City and continue to do so.
So when you then add: “Most average people want to armchair quarterback, rather than get involved.” you show little understanding of the number of people in this community who help through volunteer work.
Many help wherever they can – whether it is watering an outdoor ice rink or sitting on a committee – and wherever they feel they get some appreciation from providing that help.
gus: “I get no wages from the City, yet I have helped the City and continue to do so.
So when you then add: “Most average people want to armchair quarterback, rather than get involved.” you show little understanding of the number of people in this community who help through volunteer work. “
Don’t be so sensitive gus. I’m not directing my comment at fine upstanding citizens such as yourself or the many volunteers in this community. Just to the slackers who like to complain. There is a big segment of those as well.
…slackers who like to complain? No we don’t. We just make observations. There is a difference, you know. This is coming from an office chair quarterback. Not an armchair one. Tim’s awaits. Chow.
Someone pointed out earlier that this is what 250 s about ,”giving an opionion”. Most of us dont have 30m or 40 thousand dollars to run for office at city hall.
I dont even have a couple hundered bucks to spare.
Cheers
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