Moncton council votes down pay increase for next council

Just one week before city voters head to the polls, Moncton city council voted down abylaw that would see salaries increase by 25 per cent for the deputy mayor and councillors, with a 16 per centincrease going to the next mayor.

Outgoing Mayor George LeBlanc said the increase was too much during a time when the city went to great lengths to keep staff raises to a minimum.

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"A raise of this significance after a period of time after we have done all we can to moderate wage demands in the city of Moncton,and coming after a time when we froze wages for our senior staff, is simply put very bad timing."

The third and final reading of the bylaw took place at council on Monday. At a previous council meeting on April 5, the subject had been a topic of debate, with the final vote being 6-5 in favour ofthe pay increases.

Monday's discussion was more subdued. LeBlanc asked council three times for a volunteer to read the resolution before Coun. Blair Lawrence eventually agreed to do it.

The motion was defeated, with both mayoral candidates Dawn Arnold and Brian Hicks voting against, along with councillors Paul Pellerin, Shawn Crossman, Daniel Bourgeois and LeBlanc.