Under the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act introduced in 1996, municipalities and other publicly funded corporations are required to release an annual list of employees’ and councillors’ earnings of $100,000 or more.
It would also be interesting to compare taxpayers’ money paid to the mayor and councillors from the year 2006, when Ward 9 Coun. Doug Craig was paid $77,426, Ward 2 Coun. Terry Kett was paid $75,163 and Ward 5 Coun. Ron Dupuis was paid $71,087.
It’s incredible that the city’s 12 councillors had the nerve to increase the discretionary ward funds, or slush funds, from $34,000 to $50,000 a year to spend in their wards.
That means that in the course of a four-year term, councillors can spend a combined $2.4 million with no prior approval or oversight other than a stroke of a councillors’ pen.
And if the slush fund is not all spent in one year, they can be carried over. It’s a disgrace the way our city is being governed. The 12 councillors are taking advantage of the inexperienced mayor. It has become very costly to the taxpayers.
Come text election, Sudburians would be very wise to have a complete sweep, meaning getting rid of every present councillor.
Only then will this city be governed with taxpayers in mind. At the present time, it’s nothing but a big joke at the expense of taxpayers.
Yvan Robert
Greater Sudbury
