Every once in a while the Advocate publishes an article that makes me see red.
The article that I refer to this time has the headline “Curtis gets salary hike” and goes on to explain that our out of touch spend and tax council, have granted their boss city manager Craig Curtis a raise that will pay him over $5,000 a week or $264,158 a year. The reason they use to justify a raise when their citizens are losing their jobs due to a massive downturn in the economy, is believe it or not, stated as “the raise is needed to align it with other comparable cities in Western Canada.”I would like to say that this is such a cop out, and ask the question, was Mr. Curtis threatening to move on to one of these better paying jobs? What is the matter with this council why are they so under the thumb of the city manager?
I was under the impression that the citizens elected them to be good stewards of our tax dollars, this is a glaring example of their collective failure. I would like to suggest that the council members be forced to read the Advocate local news section every day, to understand what is happening in the real world.
Maybe they need to listen to their HR director Kristy Svoboda when she says that “today’s economic conditions means tighter budgets for municipalities” obviously she wasn’t talking about her bosses. Now I am not saying that we don’t have to pay a good wage to attract good people, but there is a time and place for everything.
How in all good conscience can these eight people stand by and watch as taxpayers lose their homes, their vehicles and yes, even their families, whilst they hand out a raise to the highest paid employee in the city.
I say shame on you.
George Croome
Red Deer