The Editor,
Re. "$644 a day is plenty" (The Tri-City News, March 18).
I refer to the story regarding the stipend that municipal officials receive for attending Metro Vancouver meetings. I was astonished to find out that they receive $322 for each meeting they attend or $644 if a meeting runs more than four hours. If they attend two meetings on a given day, they receive $644 and if they attend three meetings, they receive $966. And as the article points out, these payments are over and above the salaries they receive from their local municipality.
As a taxpayer, I find this policy unconscionable.
I'm a resident of Port Coquitlam. Last summer, our councillors voted themselves a substantial raise. As a result, our mayor now makes over $80,000 a year and councillors make over $30,000 annually. Moreover, a third of this compensation is tax exempt.
In my opinion, this level of compensation is more than adequate for the work they are required to do on behalf of the taxpayers and they should not receive an additional $322 for every Metro Vancouver meeting they attend. As far as I'm concerned, their participation in Metro Vancouver meetings is part of their job as elected municipal officials. I do agree that they should receive mileage and meal allowances unless meals are provided and then the meal allowance should not be claimable.
Let's use the example of Greg Moore, mayor of Port Coquitlam. According to the article, on at least one occasion, he attended three Metro Vancouver meetings on a given day and as a result collected $966 on top his salary as mayor. And he is only one of dozens and dozens of elected municipal officials that are receiving such compensation for attending Metro Vancouver meetings.
I suggest that rather than massaging this policy, the Metro Vancouver directors should consider eliminating this meeting stipend altogether as it is a blatant example of double-dipping that contributes to our ever-increasing, unsustainable levels of municipal/regional taxation.
Bruce Cox, Port Coquitlam
