Councillor Stephen Holyday is one of eight councillors who opposed the hefty pay increase for his colleagues.
Etobicoke Centre Councillor Stephen Holyday was one of eight who opposed a whopping 24 per cent pay raise as the City grapples for more funding.
The pay raise and benefits for Councillors adds almost $1 million to City coffers despite a huge $1.8 billion deficit that led to an eight per cent property tax increase.
The increase that was approved by Council 15 to 8 on March 27 will see the wages of councillors jump to a whopping $170,588 annually from $137,537.
Mayor Olivia Chow described the pay raise as ‘steep.’ She was not eligible for an increase on her $225,000 annual salary.
Holyday said he opposed the pay increase because he doesn’t think it’s appropriate.
“I just believe that, if we do this, it further erodes people’s confidence in government. And I don’t think we should do it,” Holyday said.
The increase does not apply to Mayor Olivia Chow, who called it ‘steep’. She earns more than $225,000 yearly.
Councillors have long been seeking an increase in pay and wages claiming they are overworked with meetings and work in the community. They claim their workload surged after the number of council seats were reduced from 44 to 25 in 2018.
City Councillors are smiling tonight after receiving a 24 per cent pay increase after claiming they are overworked.
Council requested the City Clerk to report later this year on options to modernize their job descriptions, salary bands, and the compensation envelope for staff in Members’ offices.
“Toronto now has perhaps the most populous wards of any major city in North America and Europe,” according to City staff.
Members of Council do not receive additional compensation for sitting on agencies, boards, commissions and corporations.
Councillors last year were allocated about $60,000 for their office budget, with a staff salary of $534,000 and with the Mayor’s Office having an operating budget of more than $3 million.
Councillors Brad Bradford, Alejandra Bravo, Vincent Crisanti, Paula Fletcher, Stephen Holyday, Parthi Kandavel, Frances Nunziata, and Gord Perks all voted against the motion.