Timing would not be our Mayor's forte. We just finished a useless budget review that gave us a tax increase, new levies, additional utility costs, reduced services, increased bus fares, increased facility fees and so on. We have a planned debt of $309.75 million with more spending pending. Our roadways and sidewalks are in decay.
For all this good work the Mayor now wants an increase of pay for councillors and himself. He cites all the hours they worked to give us all the above. Yet many of these councillors hold full time jobs away from council. Council remuneration is a top up income for most.
Council has more than doubled its salary in the past five years and the perks are growing. And one-third of their salary is tax free.
They already earn more than the average citizen who pays the freight for their efforts.
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ReplyDeleteThere is a job review opportunity coming up it's called an Election. If no more people show up to vote than have for the last few elections or by-elections you will not only have the boobs you have now but a few defeated MLAs thrown into the mix. It will lead to history repeating itself, boom in 1912 bust in 1913! You could have Pat Atkinson as Mayor, Frank Quenell, Sean Shaw, Judy Junor, Ann Iwanchuk, Pat Lorje, Charlie Clark, Mairim Loewen, Tiffany Paulsen, Darren Hill and either Andy Iwanchuk or Peter Prebble. If that thought doesn't keep you awake at night nothing will.
ReplyDeleteGood point Anon 10:15, all with deep NDP ties and strong positions on increased taxation and public spending.
ReplyDeleteI'd be willing to be bet that all will be running for something next election, likely with planning to coordinate who is running where. Hence the inevitable creep of party politics into municipal government.
Worst part is the standard being set by this Council of over reaching the duties of a municipal government (ie housing). The people above will all take it upon themselves to provide the vast social programs that the province should rightfully be providing.
Atkinson said she was retired, if she runs hopefully she gets painted as a liar.
Rather then running down others who have the courage to run for public office, why not get some cajones and run yourself !! If you arent happy with the current council, either run yourself, get those who you think qualify to run or just shut up and quit whining about those who do have the cajones to get out there and serve.
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth would someone run for office after reading the vile that the lefties spit at the Mistress for doing just that.
ReplyDeleteDo I really need to hear the insults and taunts of political opponents?
I can't believe that you take the position that you cannot criticize without running. These are ELECTED officials. My Councillor has lied to my face about tax increases. He stood on my doorstep and lied to me about many issues at the time.
If you think its only the lefties that lie, you are in a dream world. Is not only the lefties that post here that hurl vile insults, the right wing bloggers do just as good a job. That is why those of us who are not political lackies get so bored by alot of the rhetoric from both sides. Criticizing the policies of those in political office is welcomed, but these right wing / left wing feuds is immature and adds no value to the discussion. anon 9:34 a.m. was an example of petty political rhetoric.....wasnt a leftie that posted it either.....or do you disregard the right postings that hurl personal insults???
ReplyDeleteI don't ignore the insults, but the criticism in Saskatchewan pales in comparison to what comes from the left.
ReplyDeleteI am equally unhappy with the Conservative party federally and the NDP party provincially, despite the polar opposite of their political views both run steady campaigns of lies, deceit, unethical behaviour and such. It's just frustrating to sit back and watch the NDP get a free ride while the right gets beaten into the ground.
Could you imagine if Harper/Cons had engineered the splice-gate incident to an opponent?
No need for a raise for this mayor or his councillors, you can easily reduce the number of hours in council meetings as stated from 15 to 4 by having them quit repeating everything they say. I think they love to hear themselves!! And to make matters worse, when they stand up to agree with a colleague, rather than just saying they agree, they also repeat everything said again!! It's not supposed to be a good ole' boys & girls club you know!!! Standing on a street corner waving isn't going to cut it this time!!!
ReplyDeleteThe NDP lost the Sask election quite badly- I don't think they got a free ride. I think every political party has the same problem when they are in power. I don't think the Sask Party has been completely immune from it. The fact that people are relatively happy with Brad wall and company right now doesn't mean that this will continue indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be nice to have some fiscally responsible NDPers in charge? They cleaned up the mess provincially and can do the same in Saskatoon.
ReplyDeletewow, the cheek to increase taxes, reduce services, then cry that city council need more money cause what was a part time job at 54,000.00 has become a full time job- 35-40 hours a week. Not only that, but an independent person is going to evaluate how much work they actually do and suggest a salary. How is it going to work with the city councillors who are employed full time now outside of being a city council person. Will they be collecting 2 full time salaries. I wonder if that person will be from Toronto. We aren't Toronto yet. I guess giving themselves another raise after this last budget is even to much gall for the city councillors. I would like to know exactly what skill sets they are actually bring to the table. It certainly isn't fiscal management or city planning. We need a forensic accountant just to decipher the city's books. When exactly do we give our review of their performance- when is election time!!! How does a person start the process to run. I would really like to know who is considering running in the next election. The current city councillors are SO out of touch with reality. Didn't the same thing happen to Nero while he watched Rome burn. Hopefully we aren't at the Caligula stage just yet.
ReplyDeleteThere is a need to recruit fiscally responsible candidates for the next civic election....regardless of their politics!
ReplyDeleteAnd just as importantly, to encourage voter turn out. If a concerned group of citizens were to take up the cause of recruting candidates and raise funds to educate and motivate the public we may get a council that appreciates the need to spend our tax dollars in a fiscally responsible manner....
Don't let the fight between the left and right confuse the issues. We need fiscally responsible people elected to city council. Pat Lorje et al have become not only very arrogant but believe that the voters will continue to be compliant. It is time to let city council know that it won't be a shoe in for them again at the upcoming civic election. Their arrogance and sense of entitlement is beyond the pale. We need fiscally responsible people who will run against the old guard, public debates on issues that are of concern to the people of Saskatoon who don't earn 52,000.00 doing a part-time job. City council keeps mentioning Calgary- this is what they do in Calgary, this is how much city councillors are paid in Calgary. We ARE NOT Calgary, nor do we want to be. You are right Pat, when you said that the seniors will be upset about increased bus fares and reduced services and seniors vote. I think you forgot that while seniors vote, so do their baby boomer children. Let's get good people out there who will run for city council. And remember- VOTE
ReplyDeleteI was almost not going to post this, but being that their is the continued left/right poking and proding happening here, it seems fairly necessary.
ReplyDeleteOf all the councillor's, the only two I have seen make statements about the raise are the much revieled (on this site anyway), radical left-wing tax grabbers (at least as some people here would like to skew them) Charlie Clark and Mairin Loewen.
Here is Clark's statement:
"Just to be clear, Councillors didn't ask for a raise...it surprised me as much as anyone to see the Mayor start talking about this.
For those interested in this issue I will say that I do think that we are somewhere in the muddy middle between full-time and part-time as City Councillors as I can certainly say for me it isn't always easy to keep up. But when it comes down to it, I think the answe...r should be guided not by what we as Councillors think we need, but what will serve the City, its Citizens, and local democratic process best, part-time, full-time, hybrid of both, streetfront offices? more communications capacity? Forget Councillors and just have on-line votes on everything ;)?
I also don't think we should be setting our own salaries and think that any changes should be determined by a third-party review of Councillor duties and salaries. We make $52,000 now, this has gone up in recent years because the formula right now ties us to MLA's. Is this an adequate salary for full-time? I know there are many out there working full-time for less. Again, I think it is not up for Councillors to decide for ourselves.
I have also heard the question about whether we get an additional expense account. On top of salary we do get an annual budget of $3500 for conferences. And we also receive mileage (doesn't add up to alot on a bike), and a laptop and blackberry, a printer, and 1/20th of an assistant at the City Clerk's office each. For what it's worth the 33% tax free is a part of our existing salary and that is what is meant for expenses such as paying for tickets to events and additional costs. We don't claim other work expenses for taxes. I don't know when this was established."
and here is Loewen's:
"You may have seen this story (http://www.thestarphoenix.com/health/Raise+sought+councillors/5849968/story.html) or heard in the media that Councillors are asking for a raise. Let me take this opportunity to say that I'm not asking for our salaries to be reviewed or increased.
Councillors' salaries are 45% of the mayor's salary, which is set as 80% of a cabinet minister's salary. When cabinet ministers receive an adjustment in pay, so do we. I don't see the need to change this system, as we are presently paid well relative to our counterparts in comparable cities. I'd be happy to answer any questions or provide clarification on this matter"
Have any other councillor's made statement's about it? Or just the left wing councillors who are on council because they want to make the city a better place?
Tim, yours is from Charlie's FB page not a public statement. It would be good to hear him voice his approval in a public forum. I applaud those like Merin, who have made it clear they oppose the mayor's proposal.
ReplyDeleteClark's, Hill's, and Loewen's opposition were posted to their councillor Facebook pages. Hill, Loewen, Paulsen, and Iwanchuk have been quoted in various media stories. Only the mayor and Penner have been in support. No public word - for or against - by Donauer, Dubois, Lorje, or Heidt to the best of my knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAnon 1:13, you really look for every excuse to not like Clark hey?
ReplyDeleteSure Loewen did a much better job stating her surprise and opposition to the Mayor's idea, but at least Clark said something unlike Donauer, Dubois, Lorje and Heidt.
Charlie Clark argued with me regarding the ward that my mother has lived in for 50 years. She lives in Nutana. Charlie argued that Dufferin was in Buena Vista, all the while his baby screamed in my ear while I was on the phone with him. He was returning my call. By the way, Charlie answers all phone calls to Loreje when she isn't here in Saskatoon.
ReplyDelete