2015 Council Pay: The Facts
There has been lots of criticism about Council “giving themselves” a 3.8% raise for 2015. The reality is simple; Council does not have the authority to “give themselves” anything regarding compensation. All considerations for remuneration are done through the Council Compensation Review Committee which is an independent citizen body.
The first Council Compensation Review Committee was formed in 2006. This Committee recommended that salary increases should be tied to the change in average weekly earnings of Albertans . The pay structure for Councillors does not include a bonus structure or any overtime compensation. You can find comprehensive information on the duties, pay and benefits of Councillors here.
Effective January 1, 2015 the remuneration for a Councillor is:
$115,297.92 Per Annum; Taxable.
The base salary will be adjusted effective the first pay period of each year between Council Compensation Review Committee reviews by the same percentage increase or decrease as the Average. Weekly Earnings of Alberta as reported by the Statistics Canada survey of Employment Payroll and Hours. This adjustment is based on the immediate preceding year’s September to September Statistics Canada report information.
Here are the taxable salaries for Council since 2010:
2010 – $97,551.46
2011 – $102,077.85 (4.64% increase from 2010)
2012 – $107,539.01 (5.35% increase from 2011)
2013 – $111,066.29 (3.28% increase from 2012)
2014 – $111,066.29 (0% increase from 2013)
2015 – $115,297.92 (3.81% increase from 2014)
Another important thing to consider is that Council’s full salary is taxable. This differs greatly from elected officials in different levels of government that often get paid more and have portions of their salaries that are tax exempt.
It is your responsibility as a tax payer to question your elected officials, especially on topics like this. While we may not agree on every issue in particular, I see it as my duty to provide a reasonable and factual explanation to address your concerns.
On February 3, 2015 I will be hosting the Ward 12 Open House at Cranston Century Hall from 6:30-8:30 pm. At this Open House you will have the opportunity to speak with various departments from the City of Calgary. I look forward to continuing this conversation with many of you at the Open House.
