Moncton council's raise vote met with mixed reviews from voters

As news of a possible raise for city councillors hit the streets of Moncton, residents expressed concern over council's move to give itself moreso soon after being elected.

Moncton councillors passed a motion on Monday night that could bring them pay raises as early as January 2017 with the mayor defending the increases as a "cost to democracy."

"I think it's valid that everyone make a decent living but 20 per cent seems a little high," said Moncton resident Leslie Tse.

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Councillors earn $24,789.72 per year, but if the resolution goes through they will earn $37,244.53, a 35 per cent increase.

Mayor Dawn Arnold could get 21 per cent more,a $14,000 bump in pay, bringing her yearly salary to $83,736.33.

Arnold had twice voted against a pay raise when she was a councillor.

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"That's not too bad, that's what normal people pay for middle class isn't it?" said Lisa Prisk.

"They should be making about the same as middle class people."

Lise Fournierwas concerned to see the resolution passed without input from the public.

"I was simply surprised that it was voted so quickly and also that we didn't ... have any advance notice of this going on."

But Fournier noted she has heard about this issue coming before council before.

"I know it's been an ongoing issue for the last year."

The previous council voted on the issue in April, with the motion passing 6 to 5, but in May, just one week before the municipal elections, councilors voted down the pay increase.

Then-mayor George LeBlanc said he voted against the pay raise because the increase was too much during a time when the city went to great lengths to keep staff raises to a minimum.

It's a point that hits home with Tse.

"The non-union staff have a pay freeze, so why should they get a 20 per centpay raise and the rest do not?" Tse said.

Attracting more candidates

Coun. Blair Lawrencesaid the idea behind the pay raise is to attract more people to run inmunicipal politics.

He said council wants to bringmore diversity in age, gender and culture to the city hall.

"In the long term, we think it will encourage, as the committee had suggested, that we're going to get moreyounger and people more professional, perhaps a greater diversity of people involved in the process."

Rick Melanson said as long as it performs its duties, he doesn't mind paying councilors and the mayor more.

"I think it's fair, they if they apply themselves and they make everything work, I have no problem."

But Will Christian feels the money should be funneled elsewhere.

"That would be a waste of good money that could be spent on homeless people and finding a good place for them to live and something good to eat," he said.

"I think they could have done a better job than to give themselves a raise."

The resolution will be brought before council for another vote this year. If implemented, the pay raises will be in place by Jan.1, 2017.