MLAs give thumbs up to pay hike

By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff Feb 04 2007 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
A review of MLAs’ salaries has strong local support. Tom Christensen, Okanagan Vernon MLA, backs an independent look at compensation. But when it comes to his current salary, he won’t elaborate on whether it is sufficient. “I’m not complaining but when you look at what I could make in the private sector (as a lawyer), there’s a difference,” he said. The current base pay for an MLA is $76,100 annually. Cabinet ministers, like Christensen, as well as the leader of the official opposition and the speaker of the House receive an additional $39,000 annually. The premier gets an extra $45,000 a year.

Christensen doesn’t believe British Columbians should be financially penalized for entering into public life. “There’s a significant toll on your professional life and there’s an impact on your family,” he said. “But it's also one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.” George Abbott, Shuswap MLA, also has some concerns about the current level of pay. “Relative to the responsibilities as law-makers, the compensation is out of proportion to the private sector and public sector ministries,” he said. Abbott added that federal MPs have a base salary almost double of their provincial counterparts.

A pay increase for MLAs was sidelined a few years ago after considerable public uproar. Christensen expects a similar situation could occur again. “If the panel recommends an increase, it will go over like a ton of bricks,” he said, adding, though, that the panel is independent and not influenced by the politicians. Abbott welcomes an independent panel taking on the compensation issue. “It’s always been awkward for MLAs to conclude what their remuneration is,” he said.The three-member review panel must make recommendations to the speaker of the House within 90 days. The findings of the report will be put before the Legislature for a vote in the spring.