Over-Compensation?

    The City of Calgary alderman and mayor are the among the highest paid councils in Canada.  Now don’t get me wrong, I love my city and do believe that it is one of the greatest places to live in the country.  My problem with the salaries of our elected officials is that they have decided that they will get automatic pay increases each year, regardless of our economic situation.  They also receive numerous perks and privileges that further increase their take home pay, such as a vehicle allowance, a generous pension plan, benefits and the ability to expense a variety of items, including top notch seats to a Flames game and even iPads.  I do believe that our council does have an important job to do.  But I also believe that my job is important, and that my time is valuable.  If me and my colleagues got together, and decided that we deserved a 5% raise, my boss would probably laugh, and say, well you know where the door is if you are not happy.  When I do have to travel for work, I am compensated on a per kilometer basis, but if I were to say, hey, you should be paying my monthly lease as well, I would probably get laughed at.  During council meetings, meals are provided.  When I go to work for 8.5 hours a day, I know that come lunch time, I will be hungry.  Does anyone provide me with lunch?  Not usually. I just cannot understand why we, as taxpayers, need to pay for our council to eat a well prepared meal at every meeting.  One councilor last term expensed not one, but two brand new iPads.  This just seems ridiculous to me.  In supposed tough economic times, we are allowing them to purchase toys… Interesting.  There are numerous other examples that I could ramble on about, but in the end, it really doesn't matter.  Council will continue to do whatever they want, and only have to answer to the constituents every four years.