11779 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

...This is why I say council compensation should be tied to terms served...

There is no way Pam Madoff would have deserved to be paid as much 4 other councillors combined. 

[Belleprincess]

There is no way Pam Madoff would have deserved to be paid as much 4 other councillors combined.

I think she would deserve it. I’d rather have Pam Madoff than Isitt, loveday, Potts & alto combined.

[Mike K.]

It doesn’t have to be 4x, just higher.

I would have no issue with a rookie earning $45k, a second term earning $50k, a third+ term earning $55k.

[Nparker]

...I’d rather have Pam Madoff than Isitt, loveday, Potts & alto combined.

While Ms. Madoff was more palatable than the TV triumvirate/Benemy combo, her time had come. She'd made a career of civic politics and it definitely showed.

[rmpeers]

While Ms. Madoff was more palatable than the TV triumvirate/Benemy combo, her time had come. She'd made a career of civic politics and it definitely showed.

Please note that my liking this post was not an indictment of Ms. Madoff but rather apprecation of "Benemy"!

[FogPub]

“Stakes are too high with ecological & social crises of capitalism to allow Chamber of Commerce, big business & developer interests to shift Council back to the right”

Judging by all the construction going on in town of late it seems developer interests are doing just fine under the current Council....

[Victoria Watcher]

If Victoria voters truly dislike the idea of paying city councillors for full-time work, it might be time for a conversation with residents about what they expect from their elected officials and what services they’d be prepared to do without, Coun. Ben Isitt said Tuesday.

“There’s a body of opinion that seems to say that being a council member isn’t a job, it’s something else,” he said. “And the fact is, it is a job. For most people around that table, it’s their sole source of income.”

 

 

https://www.timescol...ions-1.24026804

[VIResident]

I agree with Ben 100%.  - core review time!

Council can ask in a poll what people think of a 50% wage hike for Council.  Why don't they ask other questions like:

(Asked no politician ever) - do you want your taxes reduced by 50%? 30% 10% 0% Increase by 10% or more?

Do you want that percentage decrease to be on employee/council wages only? Services only? Combination of both?

Are you prepared for the reduced services that would come with the reduction you picked?

Would love to see how the public would vote on that - perhaps Vibrant Victoria can launch a public poll, you know, for the greater good and balanced information from the public. 

[rjag]

Ben Isitt is the poster child for term limits

[rmpeers]

It's not surprising that Ben gets so bogged down with emails; but maybe if he dialled back on the public comments that seem designed to upset people, he wouldn't get so much email. Ironically, he's currently probably buried under emails from people upset that he wants to double his own salary.

[sebberry]

Ben is on with Al on CFAX right now. Said something about it being impossible for Councillors to hold a day job.

Tell that to all the Councillors over the years who have had other jobs while serving the city.

[Nparker]

Ben is on with Al on CFAX right now. Said something about it being impossible for Councillors to hold a day job...

Then, like the rest of us, he will have to decide what sort of job best serves his needs. As much as anyone, Ben knew the remuneration and time commitment being a councillor required before the last election. If either were not to his liking perhaps he should not have run for office again.

[Mike K.]

Isitt does not owe anyone anything. If he feels the duties of a councillor inhibit him in some form, he has the right to resign and absolve himself of all duties. He has a teenaged daughter and no doubt she would benefit from more dad time.

 

I get that council holds meetings during AM hours, which can make things tricky, but I'm sure Isitt would pursue a job in the public sector where things like flex days are common. Instead of taking a flex day, he'd take off a couple of mornings mornings for meetings.

[shoeflack]

Ben is on with Al on CFAX right now. Said something about it being impossible for Councillors to hold a day job.

Tell that to all the Councillors over the years who have had other jobs while serving the city.

 

Not trying to defend Ben here by any means, but there's a massive difference between a "day job" and any other job. I would say a "day job" falls into the category of something that requires regular hours.

 

It's been mentioned here before, but most other Councillors who have help other employment in the past have been more of the consultant types...as in, super flexible hours.

 

He's right, I don't think you can work a 9-5 and be a City Councillor in a city of our size. But certainly you could work a part-time regular job, perhaps with regular hours a few days a week.

[29er Radio]

Then, like the rest of us, he will have to decide what sort of job best serves his needs. As much as anyone, Ben knew the remuneration and time commitment being a councillor required before the last election. If either were not to his liking perhaps he should not have run for office again.

Pay was a hot topic at the 29er household last night around the concern that maybe we would have to pay better to get better people and our current councillors generally work full time. Conceptually this podcaster agrees with that premise but no one is saying they will do a better job if they get paid more and the councillors can say no to citizens requests and thus keep their hours dedicated in check. If there was only ever 7-8 people putting their names forward, then maybe paying more could be an argument, as it could be inferred that not too many people "want the job" but it has been my experience that there are plenty of people prepared to put their hat in the ring for the stated recompense. Perhaps a way to appease our councillors and ensure they are paid what they are worth would be to let them put their desired pay scale along side their names on the ballot box, then the public can truly support the councillors they choose and potentially, "good" councillors could get paid more than "bad" ones. Let the citizens have a true say in the process.,

[Rob Randall]

I think the only job apart from consulting you could do would be part-time hospitality. Something in a  hotel or restaurant that would be seasonal, less than an eight hour shift and one to three days a week max. With super flexibility to switch shifts. 

 

Other than that it needs to be something self-employed where you make your own hours or co-managing a business with a helpful spouse or partner.

[Awaiting Juno]

Not trying to defend Ben here by any means, but there's a massive difference between a "day job" and any other job. I would say a "day job" falls into the category of something that requires regular hours.

 

It's been mentioned here before, but most other Councillors who have help other employment in the past have been more of the consultant types...as in, super flexible hours.

 

He's right, I don't think you can work a 9-5 and be a City Councillor in a city of our size. But certainly you could work a part-time regular job, perhaps with regular hours a few days a week.

 

There's a point to be had about why council is structured that way.  The consultant types, and the self-employed mature business types have a kind of real world experience - the other type of person for whom council seems attractive is student types.  These two types are generally without children and see the income as a bonus rather than the be all and end all.    The tricky thing is, there's no perfect solution.  If you structure it as a "full-time job" - you may not like what is attracted to the position, you might exclude the views that bring the most to the table.  Structured as part-time, but perhaps with more evening and/or weekend commitment might be a good compromise.  

[mbjj]

Ben uses some of his time to add citizens' email addresses to his personal distribution lists without their permission.

That's true! My daughter emailed him about something then started getting all sorts of bumf.

[Nparker]

That's true! My daughter emailed him about something then started getting all sorts of bumf.

I've emailed council generally and had the good comrade add me to his email lists.

[Jacques Cadé]

Catherine Holt of the chamber of commerce spoke yesterday on CHEK about the councillor-pay survey results. Video: https://www.facebook...639134249467868

 

At around 3:00 she cites some interesting research. She notes that the Victoria Council has a strategic plan of some 140 items. (That's a "list", she notes, more than a real "plan".) But over the past year, she says, the Council has also passed some 350 additional motions that don't even relate to that strategic plan, each requiring staff time (and, ultimately, more staff). I wonder, how does that compare to other municipalities?