Wrong message

While the rest of Canada was focused on the federal election Monday night, some members of Fort Frances town council were focused on giving themselves a whopping 36 percent salary increase.
The salary increase is the cost of the benefits package that will be 100-percent paid by the town.
One has to question why those who voted in favour of such an increase feel they are entitled to the money.
The members of this council ran last November knowing what their salary was going to be, and contracted with the voters to perform that job for the salary and benefits that were determined appropriate by the former council.
That previous council had reviewed mayor and council salaries across the region, and then made changes to bring their salaries into line with other municipalities.
At that time, council had adjusted salaries so that if a councillor wished to have the benefits of the town, they could purchase them.
The three councillors and mayor who have changed their minds, and want to given themselves a raise, have broken their contract with the voters.
While the taxpayers of Fort Frances still are reeling from the tax increases that if matched with user fees and one-time special grants that amounted to almost 30 percent, this is no time for a council to fatten its wallets with such a personal increase.
Members of council who initiated this increase are sending a poor message to the citizens that they are exercising fiscal responsibility. In a period where council is facing financial difficulties, and asking citizens to pay more, the 36 percent increase is unjustified.
Other bargaining units also will be negotiating with council for increases and this action by councillors sends the wrong message. Taxpayers should be calling their councillors and demanding that they defeat the proposed bylaw increasing their salaries.