Not difficult to tell it’s an election year; Lyn Hall is actually saying something.

I hope everyone remembers how up in arms we all got when the CUPE city workers wanted 2-2-2 %. Not sure what it works out as for Councillors/Mayor but ANY amount of raise for them (expecially the Mayor) is 100% too much of a raise.
They would need more money why? Don’t most of them already have outside jobs? The way I understand remuneration, is that it is intended to cover incidentals. Considering all their expenses are paid for ie: lunch/dinners etc if they have meetings at meal times. All travel flight, meals, hotel, taxi etc., is all covered if they travel. Not sure why the mayor would need close to $100,000 a year for WHAT ??? And councilors $31,259 per year. I wish I could have a full time job plus this remuneration money just for showing up on a Monday night every two weeks……

Reviewing it may bay mandatory….but giving themselves a juicy raise sure isnt’t. I sure hope they remember how hard they fought to NOT give their city employees ANYTHING, because it’s not in the budget, while they are reviewing their own salaries.

What Lyn Hall is failing to tell you is that it was the previous council that passed this bylaw which calls for a mandatory review – many of which are still on council….

Its manditory that they ask for a raise every year.
Its manditory that they check the average of all other main cities.( hence they all get a raise.)
Its manditory they all spend one week in Vancouver every fall for a union convention.
Yes, everyone should work for the city.lol.

the Green Spender is well over paid as is the only raise she should get is on Air Canada right out of town .

I sense a council and mayor pay raise comming…and alot more than CUPE got.

Cant wait . I wish I could vote myself a raise

I agree with bcracer.

Please re-read the first sentence above:
“The call is out for people to step forward and apply to be part of the committee that will review if Mayor and Council should get a raise.”

For those who want to express the same sentiments as they do here, I suggest you apply.

We have to remember that while it is a legal requirement, it is a City bylaw that is the law, not a provincial law. City Councillors are in in control of that bylaw. If they do not like it, they can change it any time they wish.

A reminder of what the recommendations were by the Yarmish led committee.

blog/view/20407/3%3C/council+says+yes+to+pay+hike?id=&st=1950

It included the following recommendation:

That beginning in 2012 and on each year thereafter, an annual adjustment be applied to Mayor and Councillor remuneration, effective January 1 of that year, which is the lesser of:

a. the annual percent wage increase applied to City of Prince George exempt staff salaries; OR

b. the average of the wage adjustment for the fourth quarter of the previous year, and the wage adjustment for the first, second and third year quarter of the current year for the public administration industry as published by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada as the Average Annual Percentage Wage Adjustments by Quarter.

That clause is included in the current Bylaw which can be viewed here: http://princegeorge.ca/cityhall/legislativeservices/citybylaws/Bylaw%20Documents/BL8414_Council_Remuneration_Bylaw_Consolidated_Merged.pdf

So, what was not said is that they have been getting adjustments (or as most people would call them, raises) each year.
I think we might all want to know what the current remuneration is as a result of applying the formula after 2 or 3 years of the bylaw being in place.
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BTW, I do not sense a raise coming up other than the increment they have been getting.

It their own Bylaw, so they can change it any time they choose.

Furthermore they should not get a raise as they are paid sufficient for what they do, with the exception of the Mayors position which in my view is overpaid.

Keep in mind that those Councilors who are on the Regional District get an additional (approx.) $17000.00 per year.

“BTW, I do not sense a raise coming up other than the increment they have been getting.”

A rose by any other name is still a rose – a raise.

So, my taxes and fees have not been raised – they have been incremented?

What a relief!

Axman-in agreement – Lyn Hall only speaks if it will garnish his pocketbook – no different when he was a trustee of SD57.
He has always sat on the fence with his views; would it be possible he wants the top job?

I do not think he is fence sitting at all in this case. Assuming that the report captures the essence of his comments, it is a poor attempt at deflecting criticism from some of the public.

If he had come out to say that they have been getting adjustments or increments or raises ever January based on a formula and identified what that worked out to by January of 2014, then it would have been another story. But he failed to do that.

Just another one who does not understand transparency. For some people in public life that seems to be a difficult mindset to get into.

Is the increment the same as those on fixed income? Hope I don’t have to mention that was a joke.

So they’re asking me to apply to volunteer for a committee to determine how much they should be paid, – but I won’t be paid, and at the end of the day, they can ignore what I recommend anyway – hmm – think I’ll just work an extra day this year and keep the money.

On aside, Councillors are probably paid fairly. I counted 43 days they meet on the council calendar – for the year, if they go to everything. Assuming 4 hours for an average meeting, they make about $180.00 an hour. Most professionals charge $200.00 plus nowadays, my auto mechanic is about $110.00, so it’s probably not that far out of line.

What is the overhead costs for that mechanic?

You have to love numbers eh?
If you ask queen mayor green she will gladly tell you how she does not make 100k as the mayor.
Which is true. However 96k is awe fully close but when the 1/3 being tax free plus the car allowance and benefits. Well you get the idea.
Plus doesn’t the queen get a cheque from the regional district as well?

what a load of horse dung.

A review of their already healthy salary isn’t being imposed on them by the federal or provincial government. The so called law that councilor Hall and others are taking about was MADE BY Council and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize Council can also decide at any time to change that bylaw or kill it altogether.

Mayor and council are in full control. They just need a little courage instead of throwing around self serving rhetoric about “they have to do it because it is the law”. What a joke.

Hall makes it sound like they have a gun to their head and absolutely need to review their salary “because it is the law”

and btw I heard that a bunch of their salary is tax free because they have expenses to carry out their work. If part of their salary is tax free to cover expenses why do they also get to put in for expenses? What gives?

I can’t believe the tax auditors with Revenue Canada don’t hound mayor and council about double dipping as much as they seem to bug ordinary folks.