Editor:
I read with interest the article in the May 4 edition titled, “Directors seek compensation for federal tax-free clawback” wherein it was reported that several SCRD directors, including the chair, wanted to see compensation for the federal government’s budget initiative to eliminate the non-taxable portion of elected official salaries starting in 2019. Metro Vancouver’s board of directors voted recently to give its members a retirement allowance and a pay adjustment in a move apparently motivated by the impact on their pay by that federal budget item. They subsequently voted to scrap the planned increase in the wake of a public outcry.
Every year through provincial and federal budgets, there are changes to the tax system that benefit some with tax reductions and penalize others with tax increases. No citizen of whom I am aware gets to go back to their employer or pension administrator for compensation over tax increases.
The article then goes on to report that on a comparison on pay, the finding by SCRD staff was that the SCRD is among the highest paid of the 18 regional districts used in the comparison. Not satisfied with that result, they sought out other metrics that indicated they were underpaid. It is my opinion that if members in elected office don’t like the pay and perks, they should seek higher paid positions elsewhere.
Another option on pay in general would be a model that compensates on the basis of meaningful, measurable performance rather than one based on attendance. The water file might be a place to start.
Ivan Thompson, Sechelt
