So, if the federal government were to change the tax rules tomorrow and the change meant you have to pay more in tax, would your employer make up the difference?

Would you expect your employer to do so?

That91裸聊视频檚 basically what happened this week at Kelowna City Hall when members of council voted to give themselves hefty raises to compensate for the loss of a longstanding tax break they currently receive on one-third of their pay.

The catch is, to receive the pay hike each member of the current council will have to be re-elected in October91裸聊视频檚 municipal election as the increase kicks in Jan. 1, 2019.

Council91裸聊视频檚 decision to have taxpayers make up for the 91裸聊视频減ay cut91裸聊视频� they say they91裸聊视频檒l face as a result of Ottawa91裸聊视频檚 change stemmed from a city finance department reccomendation.

Starting next year, Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 mayor will receive an extra $11,830 per year and councillors will get $3,050 more. The increases will push up the amount the mayor gets to just under $107,000 per year and the amount councillors get to $36,500.

But should council members be the ones to vote themselves more money?

On Monday, during the discussion at an open council meeting, several councillors stressed the salary bump was not a pay increase but simply off-set the loss of the tax break.

And, that age-old attempt to justify higher wages was trotted out91裸聊视频攊f you don91裸聊视频檛 pay people enough, you won91裸聊视频檛 attract good people.

But the folks who currently sit on council would no doubt consider themselves pretty good91裸聊视频攖hey are running for re-election after all91裸聊视频攁nd they ran last time for knowing they were to be paid less money than they are now receiving.

And that91裸聊视频檚 the key. If you know how much a job pays91裸聊视频攁nd everyone will prior to the Oct. 20 municipal election91裸聊视频攖hen the choice to seek office is yours.

Whether you agree or disagree with Ottawa91裸聊视频檚 move, it91裸聊视频檚 not like anyone is having something taken away.

The change will only impact the folks who are elected, or re-elected, in October. That could be incumbents or newly elected folks but either way they will be members of a new city council.

Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for a break the federal government giveth, and then taketh away.

The break was meant to cover expenses associated with elected officials91裸聊视频� duties and that is admirable. So why not just have the politicians submit receipts for a credit at tax time or for reimbursement?

Because the optics of politicians giving themselves a raise91裸聊视频攏o matter what spin they put on it91裸聊视频攁re never good.

Alistair Waters is the assistant editor of the Capital News.

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

newstips@kelownacapnews.com
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