Once again, I would like to thank the Advocate for keeping taxpayers informed on what city council is up to.
You recently reported that council was going to discuss raising their wages by as much as 18 per cent, this at a time when the economy is in the dump and regular taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet.
Granted, they do have an excuse, by trying to pass this off as a replacement for money they were receiving as a tax rebate from the federal government. But whichever way you slice it, this is a wage increase.
READ RELATED STORY: Red Deer mayor says offsetting a tax increase isn’t the same as hiking wages
Now I read that Coun. Buck Buchanan thinks that because he puts in 40 to 50 hours some weeks, and has to attend evening and weekend functions, he receives less than when he retired a few years ago.
I have to ask: didn’t Buchanan run for re-election? He should have known exactly what he was getting into, remuneration included.
The same goes for any other councillor who is serving more than one term.
City of Red Deer councillors have the opportunity to prove the comment made by Coun. Diane Wyntjes, that community service, not money, is why most people run for public office.
Let them live in the real world of the average over-taxed citizen who doesn’t have a say in how much the cost of living keeps growing, mainly due to questionable spending decisions being made by councils run by high-priced administrators.
Come on, mayor and councillors, suck it up: show Red Deer taxpayers some respect.
George Croome, Red Deer