Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Telephone Poll Council pay in other jurisdictions considered by the committee that recommended the raises: Yellowknife (Population 19,000): $20,000 (proposed) Medicine Hat (Population 51,200): $27,000 Strathcona County (Population 72,000): $54,600 (full-time position) Wood Buffalo (including Fort McMurray, Population 41,500): $26,400 Whitehorse (Population 19,000): $13,300 plus per diem Hay River (Population 3,800): $8,000 Inuvik (Population 3,600): $6,000-$8,000 (on average)

Yellowknife (Oct 10/05) - Yellowknife councillors are poised to get the legislative ball rolling on a 35 per cent pay hike for themselves at Tuesday's meeting. Support for the raise was strong among the six councillors who spoke with News/North last week, with only one opposed to the increase.

"This is not an easy job," said councillor Mark Heyck. "People should be compensated fairly for the work they do."

Several councillors said the move would bring their salaries in-line with their counterparts in similar-sized cities.

The increase will also ensure healthy competition for council positions, said Blake Lyons.

"I think it is imperative (in order) to get the best possible people to run," he said.

An independent committee recommended last week that the councillors receive a $5,200 raise from their current salary of $14,743.38. The committee, chaired by former councillor Ben McDonald, also proposed $4,000 in additional benefits, including child care and laptop computers.

The lone objection came from councillor Alan Woytuik, who said any pay increase should be implemented after the next election.

"Council should not vote on raises for itself," he said, also calling the increase "too steep."

He said municipal council is a "civic duty" and members should not be motivated by salaries.

"This is a way of giving back to your community," he said. "You should not run if you want to make money."

The committee report compared council pay with salaries in seven other municipalities, including Whitehorse, Grande Prairie, Hay River and Medicine Hat.

A News/North survey of those communities revealed the proposed pay increase would place Yellowknife councillors in the middle of that pack.

The report will be discussed at council meeting Tuesday night and city administration could be tasked with turning the recommendations into a bylaw.

It will likely be weeks before the bylaw is put to a final vote.

In a telephone poll we asked:
"Is a 35 per cent pay raise for city councillors warranted?"

You voted: No: 72.5% Yes: 27.5%

Forty people called News/North's telephone poll. Here's what some of the callers had to say:

"City councillors are doing a great job and I absolutely support the pay increase and I appreciate all their fine efforts on our behalf."

"I absolutely do not agree that council should get any type of increase. In fact I think the whole council should be overhauled and actually get people on there that are doing something pro-active for the city. So a big time no on that vote."

"I think for sure they should get a pay raise. I've sat through those meetings and they're boring. You couldn't pay me only $14,000 a year to go to those meetings. So good job city hall and I think they should get the pay increase."

"I think the proposal is outrageous considering all the fees the city is implementing continually, dump charges etc. And now councillors want a pay increase? I don't think so. If anyone deserves a pay increase, the mayor does, but not the councillors."

"No, I don't believe in an increase for councillors. I think councillors should donate their time; that's what good citizens do. If the city wants to attract better councillors, they've got to get rid of the gong show in city hall."

"This is a real slap in the face for Yellowknifers. I think city council should be ashamed of themselves for considering a pay raise when they're raising taxes for everyone else and giving themselves a hefty 35 per cent raise. It's disgusting. Shame on you city council."

"A 35 per cent raise is a bit high. Ten to 15 per cent is more reasonable. People running for council should not do it for the money."

"It's not necessarily the 35 per cent I disagree with, it's the other benefits, the child care benefits and taxpayer funded RRSPs. This not their full-time employment and it's up to them to fund their own retirement."

"I strongly believe that a 35 per cent increase should be spent better elsewhere cleaning up Yellowknife. Yellowknife is disgusting, it's dirty. Councillors should clean up their town before they get a pay raise."