Pay cut for incoming Edmonton council approved without debate

The city’s next mayor and council will take a pay cut, after council voted Tuesday to accept the advice of an independent committee on compensation.

The 13-member council passed the recommendation without debate or even a presentation.

The change will reduce the mayor’s salary to $200,747 after the Oct. 16 election. That’s a reduction of $17,453, compared to the $218,200 the mayor would get next year under the current formula.

Councillor compensation will fall to $113,416 after the election from $116,729 under the current rules.

Mayor Don Iveson said last week he accepted the recommendation, which would make his pay even with Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, not just under, as has happened in the past.

“All of council deferred to the independent committee, which is how it should work,” Iveson said Tuesday, explaining the unanimous vote after.

The city asked its independent five-member panel to take a new look at Edmonton’s salaries for elected officials following a recent federal tax change.

Ottawa previously allowed municipal politicians to claim a third of their income tax-free, an allowance Edmonton took advantage of to save a small amount in the city budget. Now, however, the full salary must be taxable.

Accepting the full salary equivalent would have made Edmonton’s mayor the highest paid in the country.

According to the written report, the committee looked at six other cities — Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Calgary.

It also looked at recent wage trends for city employees and Alberta’s average weekly earnings.

It suggested Edmonton and Calgary should be on par in terms of compensation.