EDMONTON, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released the estimated “transition allowances paid to retired or defeated MLAs following the 2012 General Election.
There were 35 retired or defeated MLAs after the April 23rd vote, 23 of which retired and 12 of which were defeated.
The payments range from a low of $78,000 to defeated Wildrose MLA Paul Hinman, to a high of $1,192,000 to retired PC MLA and Speaker Ken Kowalski. Kowalski is also eligible to collect an MLA pension.
In total, taxpayers will pay an estimated $14,785,000 in transition allowances. This is on top of the $2,685,178 taxpayers have provided these MLAs in RRSP contributions.
“We will be holding Premier Redford to her election promise to ‘suspend’ these ‘overly generous’ transition allowances going forward,” stated CTF-Alberta Director Scott Hennig. “It’s a shame she didn’t act prior to the election to eliminate these golden-handshakes, as it would have saved taxpayers nearly $15 million.”
In March, the CTF released a poll conducted by Abingdon Research showing 79 per cent of Albertans want MLA transition allowances eliminated completely.
The CTF notes that the 33 defeated or retired MLAs in the 2008 election walked away with an estimated $8 million. The increase in this year’s payment is largely due to the 30 per cent pay hike MLAs quietly gave themselves shortly after the 2008 election.
“The 2008 secret pay hikes not only boosted MLA pay for the past four years, but ultimately hiked their transition allowances as well,” continued Hennig.
The transition allowance payment is based on three month’s salary for each year served as MLA, based on the three highest years pay.
MLAs are currently provided with a RRSP allowance equal to 50 percent of the maximum RRSP contribution limit. (Limit is $22,970 for 2012).
Defeated and retired MLAs under the age of 70 are also eligible to stay on the Members’ Extended Benefits Plan, with taxpayers continuing to pay a portion of their health benefit premiums for up to five years.
CTF estimates for each of the 35 retired or defeated MLAs can be found on-line at: /media/2012 Alberta election transition allowance calculations.pdf
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