County councillors vote to phase-in new salary levels
Posted October 22, 2024
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Simcoe County councillors this morning upended a recommendation that would have implemented increases to their salaries beginning with the next term of council, voting instead to phase in by one-third in each of 2025, 2026, and 2027 eventually reaching $47,717, up from $18,079.
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The County's governance committee had put forward four options based on comparables from other regional upper tier governments, setting up immediate hikes based on the annual non union scale increases, with full increases impacting the budget in 2027.
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In the lead up to the recorded vote on the amendment to phase in the increases, councillors were in agreement they were underpaid, and whose salaries hadn't increased in any meaningful way in approximately 20 years. And that if compensation levels didn't increase, they would continue to have a difficult time attracting the "next generation" to seek elected office. The divide was when the new salaries should kick-in.
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New Tecumseth Deputy Mayor Stephanie MacLellan, one of the youngest members of County council, said there were already "significant barriers in getting into politics" and the low salary did not help.
"I am of the younger generation. I'm a single parent, and female. In addition to council, I have two other jobs, and I still wouldn't make the sunshine list," she said, "What politicians get paid is a signficant barrier to attract the next generation. I don't have a pension, I'm not wealthy. As a younger politician who still has kids at home, I do support paying a fair wage and being able to attract more people to run for these positions. I'm not sure we can say many of our local and upper tier councils are very diverse at all."
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MacLellan and New Tecumseth Mayor Richard Norcross were in favour of the phase-in. In the option the Warden's salary was based on a full-time position. But until that is approved, the increases will be based on the current salary.