Victoria city councillors have rejected a review of their own pay and work status – it stands at $41,000 per year and is considered a part-time or three-quarter pay schedule, based on a 2009 citizen review panel report – because there is not enough time before this fall’s civic election.
What this means is that our city councillors are not able to determine whether they are part-time or full-time workers, if they are worth more than the lowest-paid Victoria municipal employee, or if individuals responsible for spending millions of taxpayer dollars should be making marginally more per year than a 40-hour/week, full-time worker receiving the proposed minimum wage of $15/hour.
Victoria council and its mayor should vote immediately to double their salaries and require the increase to take effect immediately following the election in October. Perhaps then our fair city can attract serious council candidates who understand the value of a dollar, can compare apples to apples, and who value their self worth as much as their own pet projects, unlike the current lot, who will go to the wall for expensive, unwanted and unneeded separated bicycle lanes, but meekly accept $12/hour for a 66-hour work week.
Trevor Amon
Victoria
