It’s rude to obsess over what other people are paid... unless you happen to be picking up the tab or buying a ticket to a professional sporting event.
In the case of government, the taxpayer has every right to take elected officials to task over what they are paid if they feel it’s out of line. But in some cases, like local and regional government, it doesn’t appear as though our representatives are getting too fat on our “toonies.”
For the men and women who show up to vie for these positions, many of whom are already successful in established careers, it seems like an unlikely route to riches.
Given the time and effort these folks are likely to put in, and the need to give them something to help them decide it’s worth it to run in the first place, it seems like good value in the long run to show them some respect in the remuneration department.
This expression of support for our regional chaperones is totally conditional on how they handle the financial reins. We, along with every other news outlet and righteous citizen, are ready to pounce at the first sign of a bloated expense account or lavish entertainment tab at a government function.
For now, however, the figures looked at in Greg Newsteroff’s page seven story don’t seem alarming in any way.