Editor: How magnanimous of Steve Ferguson (The Times, Dec. 11) to donate his ill-gotten $340 travel allowance to charities. He listed eight charities (five of which are pluralized) in his letter, “plus countless other groups.” Sounds like he’d be stretching that $340 travel bonus, I mean allowance, a little thin.
Wasn’t that pay increase of 19 per cent at this time last year enough? If you do not have to pay tax on one-third of your salaries and expense allowance, why would you need a travel allowance? It’s a darn lucrative part-time gig these people have. Seems to me most of them have other, rather profitable, part-time jobs and/or pension income from previous employment.
The rate of inflation for October 2012 was 1.2 per cent, and in December of 2011 it was 2.3 per cent. So what makes the Township councillors and the mayor think they are worthy of such an increase in pay?
Here’s a pay structure for the part-time positions as Township councillors:
* For every Township meeting you attend you get $100 flat rate;
* If the meeting runs for 30 minutes, you get $20;
* You will be paid $10.25 per hour for every hour you spend on Township business at Township Hall and you will have to punch your time card using a time clock. Hours are not to exceed 25 per week. (This is a part-time job);
* No Township business will be done from home;
* You will get a $25 per month travel/mileage allowance; and
* All appropriate taxes will be deducted.
For the mayor:
* For every Township meeting, you attend you get $175 flat rate;
* If the meeting runs for 30 minutes, you get $50;
* You will be paid a monthly salary of $1,000;
* You will get a $55 per month travel/mileage allowance; and
* All appropriate taxes will be deducted.
Not in it for the money indeed. I wonder whatever happened to ethics, morals, accountability, integrity, conscience, and honesty?
R. Whiddon,
Murrayville
