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?

That香蕉视频直播檚 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 October香蕉视频直播檚 municipal election as the increase kicks in Jan. 1, 2019.

Council香蕉视频直播檚 decision to have taxpayers make up for the 香蕉视频直播減ay cut香蕉视频直播� they say they香蕉视频直播檒l face as a result of Ottawa香蕉视频直播檚 change stemmed from a city finance department reccomendation.

Starting next year, Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 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 out香蕉视频直播攊f you don香蕉视频直播檛 pay people enough, you won香蕉视频直播檛 attract good people.

But the folks who currently sit on council would no doubt consider themselves pretty good香蕉视频直播攖hey are running for re-election after all香蕉视频直播攁nd they ran last time for knowing they were to be paid less money than they are now receiving.

And that香蕉视频直播檚 the key. If you know how much a job pays香蕉视频直播攁nd everyone will prior to the Oct. 20 municipal election香蕉视频直播攖hen the choice to seek office is yours.

Whether you agree or disagree with Ottawa香蕉视频直播檚 move, it香蕉视频直播檚 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 officials香蕉视频直播� 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 raise香蕉视频直播攏o matter what spin they put on it香蕉视频直播攁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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