On Tuesday (March 8, 2016), Halifax Regional Council (HRM) will vote on a proposal that will change the way a Councilor’s pay is calculated.

 

The current formula bases the salaries entirely on councilors’ salaries in other select municipalities including Brampton, London and Vancouver.

 

As a result, Council salaries have gone up by about 14% over 4 years (2011-12); the Mayor’s salary is up 17%. Meanwhile from 2012 to 2015 the average worker in Halifax has only seen annual increases in their salaries of 1.7 to 0.6%.

 

1. If taxpayers in Halifax succeed, then Council succeeds

 

The new proposal would base Halifax Council salaries on the average taxpayer’s salary in the city. When Halifax taxpayers do well, so do Councilors. Just makes sense doesn’t it?

 

The formula also has the benefit of being easy to understand, and based on the reality of the taxpayers who are paying Council’s salary.

 

2. Council Shouldn’t Be Setting Their Own Pay and Benefits

 

Workers outside of government don’t normally get to set their own pay and neither should the Mayor and Council.

 

Halifax Council was right to put the pay issue to an independent committee. The committee conducted a thorough review of the situation in Canada and came up with a formula that is well reasoned and based on the reality of people in Halifax.

 

This report deserves to be passed by our Council.

 

3. The current formula is out of date

 

The comparable cities in the current formula that set the pay raises are no longer comparable.

 

The cities were chosen in 2004. Since then, municipalities like Brampton have grown exponentially while Halifax has not seen the same kind of growth. That means the formula is now out of date and in need of change.

 

4. The report is not all about the salaries.

 

The compensation committee also recommended a transition allowance of three months pay to Councilors who are defeated in an election or resign.

 

Changes are also recommended to the pensions that would remove Councilors from the municipal pension plan and instead put them in a defined contribution plan at 7.5 per cent of their salary.

 

Setting pay and benefit of public officials is a touchy business but this current report is fair and balanced and deserves Council’s support.

 

5. Council members work hard and deserve a raise, but so do average workers

 

One argument against this report is council work hard, 7 days a week putting in a ton of hours.

 

But so do many average workers. Being on regional council is a job different from many others that is why the report puts a 25% premium on their wages.