Kids first, not trustees

■ Pay raise would be better spent on students

Trustees with the Central Okanagan School District have become the latest group of elected officials to put themselves ahead of those they serve.

Trustees voted themselves a raise to compensate for the loss of a one-third tax exemption (passed by the federal government) on their annual stipend.

Keeping to script, trustees said Wednesday they are not receiving any additional pay, it will just keep their salary at the same level after taxation.

No matter how they spin it, this will cost taxpayers about $12,000 more annually. That’s $12,000 that’s not going to the students.

Textbooks, band instruments, athletic equipment or teaching aids for Special Needs students would be a better way to spend $12,000.

Politicians in Penticton are expected to deal with the same matter soon.

There was an election on Oct. 20 and candidates knew at that time what it was that they were signing up for.

Are they there for public service or as a part-time job? There are many people in key positions of responsibility in the community — presidents of service organizations and charitable boards immediately come to mind — who also put in long hours ... but for free.

We acknowledge there are a lot of hours involved with being a trustee. Right now, there’s a lot going on in the district.

Ideally, this decision would be out of the hands of the local trustees and made at a higher level.

The optics are poor.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is among the groups opposed to the top-up. “This change was simply an adjustment to bring municipal politicians into line with normal working people when it comes to taxes,” said Kris Sims, B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“That they had a tax exempt status for the portion of their salaries was the strange part in the first place. Remember, being a municipal councillor (or school board trustee) should not be a life-long career choice courtesy of the town’s taxpayers.

Municipal politicians should ideally have other jobs, like shopkeepers, or be retirees involved with local service organizations. Regardless, they should not need to depend on the pay they get as a councillor as their sole source of income.”

— Valley editor James Miller