Time to live up to pledge

Every elected P. E. I. MLA is entitled to severance pay, should they leave of their own accord, resign, or are defeated in an election. Th ey are entitled to one month of pay for every year they have been elected up to one year’s full salary for a regular MLA.

P. E. I. politicians, both Liberal and Conservative, have bilked the taxpayers of over a million dollars in severance packages as well as many more dollars from other made- in- P. E. I. perks. Most other severance packages offer one week’s pay for each year of employment up to a maximum of 26 weeks.

If a P. E. I. politician is aged 57, they can start collecting their gold- plated pensions that we, the taxpayers, have completely paid for. Th ey do not have to pay taxes on the first $ 12,000. Are the tax- payers paying those taxes? When they quit and can show just cause MLAs can also collect EI. This along with their severance and the pensions we have paid for gives credence to the saying “Pigs at the trough.”

Why do taxpayers pay for MLAs pensions when many taxpayers themselves cannot afford their own plan? MLAs have to start paying their fair share. Why does an appointed government employee receive two years’ pension for each year worked? Pure highway robbery. Who created this legislation giving MLAs and appointees these huge cheques no matter under what circumstances they leave?

Which political party will actually clean up the greed of past and present politicians? In the 2015 throne speech under a section entitled” Living Within Our Means”, Premier Wade MacLauchlan pledged a review of MLA compensation and benefits, including“proposal storeduce transitional allowances .” Since 2015 over $ 750,000 has been awarded in severance to MLA’s. Mr. Premier when are you going to live up to your pledge?

Gary A. O. MacKay, Birch Hill