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Regional: Another day in paradise
Commentary by Jeff Burgar
for South Peace News
High Prairie town council wonders if they should cut their numbers to five from the present seven. The idea, according to mayor Rick Dumont, would save $40,000 to $50,000 per year.
At present, High Prairie councillors pay themselves more, much more, than any previous High Prairie council. Last year’s numbers aren’t in yet, but will likely be about $175,000 for the whole year. This includes money to attend council meetings, committee meetings, travel expenses, and payment for conventions and seminars. It’s a long list of items paid by, ahem, we generous taxpayers.
Money paid ranges from about $50,000 per year for the mayor, to as low as $10,000 each for the couple of councillors who attend the fewest meetings and do the least travelling.
If you think, because you live on a settlement or in the M.D. of Big Lakes, that none of this concerns you, think again. In many ways, High Prairie town council is directly or indirectly connected to the prices you pay in town and the services you find in town.
Sport venues, the cost of every sport from hockey to golf, crime, medical care, the price of a quart of milk, the price of a beer or a pizza, all of this and more, has a connection in some manner, to taxes and High Prairie town council.
There’s more. When there aren’t enough cops, when industry goes elsewhere, when there are no jobs, you may quite fairly ask, who is responsible? You can bet, when it comes election time this fall, all your councillors will be jumping on the bandwagon.
First, they will claim responsibility for all the good things. Second, they will tell you how hard they are going to work for more good things. Then, they will do an about face and tell you the bad things are completely out of their control. That’s the forked tongue of politics.
Good ol’ HP isn’t the only gang ringing up hefty bills. All local governments gouge and grind their way through community money. When they do, it always means less money for other services. It’s just that High Prairie thinks they can save a lot of money by cutting councillors.
Can they really save?
Our math says, 24 council meetings per year, times two councillors, times $100 per meeting, is $4,800 per year. Trips out of town are a huge expense. Each trip can easily cost taxpayers $1,000. Conventions can run to $3,000. So figure $6,000 a councillor for this and you get $12,000 in savings. Grand total? $16,800 per year. All other meetings still have to be attended and paid. You don’t cut out any of those by cutting councillors.
Bottom line? No big savings by cutting councillors.
We can still save money. Ask why council budgeted $130,000 for themselves last year. Then they actually spent around $175,000. That’s more than a third out of whack.
Maybe it’s just too much gobbling at the public trough.
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