Taking back the public purse

EDITORIAL http://www.dailycourier.ca/ Feb 23/07 – reporter Scott Neufeld

Apparently our story yesterday on pay increases for the North Okanagan regional board raised a few eyebrows. As the Vernon Daily Courier reported the proposed increase would mean directors from Vernon, Coldstream and the other municipalities would receive $6,000 for their services before they even attend a meeting. Last year, those same directors received $1,500 pre-meeting. No matter what calculator you use that’s a 300 per cent increase.

However, with the downgrading of the Greater Vernon Services Commission (and the downsizing of members paycheques), the final cost passed on to taxpayers for this increase is relatively light at $35,881. If you average that out over everyone’s tax bill it appears as barely a blip. Of course taxpayers won’t feel the full brunt of the increase until next year when that extra GVS cash is gone.

But the size of the raise isn’t the whole issue. Something is amiss when employees are free to set their own wage hikes. Of course we’d all love the freedom to place a monetary value on our own jobs, but the reality is, if you work for someone else you don’t have that option. One exception of course is the politician. Free to set the value of their own work, they’re limited only by public outcry. Take the MLA pay raise flip-flop in Nov. 2005 as an example of an outcry.

North Okanagan board directors are quick to point out that a study by the Central Kootenay district shows that local directors receive below average pay. When compared with the other districts in the survey, North Okanagan directors make half as much as their counterparts. But with such a variation in responsibilities, committees and membership between districts, the comparison isn’t really a valid one.

This is why a citizen committee should oversee pay increases for elected officials. A committee of taxpayers would assess the value of the work that politicians do and come up with a fair figure. The committee would also take into account what the district can afford to pay. Government revenues don’t rise fast enough to make sure our local politicians receive an above average salary compared with other districts. This is why people who don’t benefit directly from the final decision need to be brought into the process to control rising remuneration.

North Okanagan directors do deserve a raise, a raise that rewards them for their work. Do municipal directors deserve a 300 per cent increase in their base pay? Do electoral area directors deserve a $400 per month car allowance and $2,500 increase in base pay? The answer shouldn’t be left to public outcry or a vote among politicians. – a citizen committee should decide.