Port Moody councillors want to know if it's time they get a raise.
On Tuesday, Oct. 17, council's governance and legislation committee approved a review of its pay and benefits packages to be undertaken by the city's general manager of corporate services.
While councillors voted themselves a pay increase in 2018, that was to make up for changes in federal tax laws beginning in 2019 that eliminated a longstanding tax-free allowance for public officials. The allowance amounted to about one-third of their total remuneration.
The last time Port Moody councillors realized a net boost to their compensation was 2013, when their salaries jumped almost 30 per cent and the mayor's salary went up 16.5 per cent.
Angie Parnell, the city's manager of corporate services, said a task force in 2005 recommended council salaries be reviewed every six years, but it hasn't been done in a decade.
In 2022, the annual salary for Port Moody councillors — a part time position — was $43,316, while the mayor's job earned just over $118,000.
That compares to Port Coquitlam, where the mayor's base salary was $132,890 last year and part-time councillors were paid $46,191.
In New Westminster, where councillors are also part time, they earned $56,167 last year and the full-time mayor’s job paid $134,734.
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart was paid $199,037 last year and the base salary for the full-time councillors was $80,591.
Coun. Haven Lurbiecki said Port Moody's elected officials need to catch up to their counterparts in other communities while Coun. Samantha Agtarap suggested the rate of compensation is directly related to the quality of people serving on council.
"If we want to enable a diverse array of voices at the table, we need to be able to compensate people properly."
Coun. Callan Morrison said a review of council salaries should be occurring automatically, perhaps through a special sub-committee that could even include representatives from the community.
Mayor Meghan Lahti admitted the subject of councillors voting for their own rates of pay can be a thorny one.
"It's not a comfortable thing to be talking about," she said. "We should be looking at ways for it be triggered automatically."
Once Port Moody staff has completed its review of council’s compensation, their recommendations will be considered by council.
📣 SOUND OFF: Do you think Port Moody councillors and mayor should get a raise? How do you think their pay rates should be determined? Is it time they become full-time? Send us a Letter to the Editor. Be sure to include your full name as well as your city of residence.
