Names and numbers different but debate sounded familiar

THURSDAY MORNING EDITORIAL — Prince George City councillors went through a debate this week on how much they should pay themselves.

Change a few names and numbers and it could have been in Kamloops council chambers.

An advisory committee brought in a recommendation for a raise. Some councillors liked it, some didn’t. Committee members were praised for doing a thankless job.

The committee said the main reason for serving on council was public service, but the pay must be high enough to attract good candidates.

Coun. Dave Wilbur supported a raise. “By my calculation, that’s about $156 a month, a year and a half from now,” Wilbur said, as quoted in the Prince George Citizen. “What are we going ape about? Shame on us.”

Same only mournful talk about how hard they work, how little they get paid in comparison to what they do.

The difference was that the Prince George council turned it down. Not good timing after a year of preaching fiscal restraint, they said. Only Wilbur and Mayor Shari Green voted in favour of the raise.

One could speculate that this being an election year might have had something to do with it but the important thing is that restraint was shown.

“While the compensation proposed is fair, it’s not the right thing to do,” said Coun. Garth Frizzell.

Kind of refreshing.