The Opposition New Democrats are making an early election promise, vowing to roll back huge new pay raises for senior B.C. bureaucrats if they win next year's provincial election. The Liberal government last week boosted salaries for 100 deputy and assistant deputy ministers. Under the new pay structure, the salary of Premier Gordon Campbell's deputy could increase by as much as 43 per cent, to $348,000. Maximum annual salaries for other deputy ministers will increase to $299,215 from $221,760, a jump of 35 per cent. Assistant deputy ministers are now eligible to receive maximum annual salaries of $195,000, up 22 per cent from the previous ceiling of $160,000. NDP Leader Carole James said Wednesday the raises look obscene to British Columbians struggling to make ends meet. "They really hoped that nobody would pay attention," said James, noting the increases were announced last Friday afternoon amid blanket news coverage of Olympic opening ceremonies in Beijing. "British Columbians want those pay hikes rolled back. I'm saying to Gordon Campbell to roll back those obscene pay hikes. If elected we'll roll back those pay hikes." British Columbians head to the polls next May under the province's fixed-term election law.
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