Deputy Mayor Joe: "No" to pay raises

Should the mayor's and councillor's salaries be raised after the upcoming October municipal election? No, obviously. However, city officials who hired a consultant is currently asking this question around City Hall. City Clerk Ulli Watkiss sent councillors an email yesterday notifying them that executive consultants from the Hay Group have been hired to undertake an "election officials compensation review". Councillors also received a survey conducted by the Hay Group which noted that in 2006, city council passed a motion that their salaries and the mayor's be placed each New Year's Day at the 75th percentile of their counterparts in twelve other Canadian cities.

A 2009 report released Monday with council’s executive committee stated that the 44councillors each earned $99,535 including $21,246 in benefits, while the mayor earned $167,627 including $30,941 in benefits. However, 905 region politicians make a lot more. For instance, Mississauga and Peel Region councillors last year earned a total of $126,320.

The email Toronto councillors received stated that according to the terms of the 2006motion, a consultant’s review is automatically undertaken prior to each new term for council, which initiates the $50,000 study. The study asks:

Do you believe the City of Toronto pay for elected officials should be set at the 75th percentile, or at a higher or lower standard? Please explain your rationale.

A follow up question asks: What are your opinions on the principles for the pay for elected officials for the City of Toronto?

Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone acknowledged that in 2006 councillors struggled with the issue and the current process essentially removes it from their hands.

Pantalone, who is running for mayor, said that he would not accept a pay hike if elected. Would Pantalone provide a fight if council attempted to rasie their salaries? Pantalone's preference is for consultation:

My style is collegial. I would like to talk to my colleagues, but my inclination, regardless of what the survey says, is that anything above bare inflation would not be acceptable. If you want people to do a good job, you have to pay them.

Pantalone elaborated by saying that the reality is many people have a poor view of elected officials, and pay hikes will only make that worse.