City Councillors have voted for themselves a 24% raise.
After a debate on Thursday night, lawmakers voted 15 to 8 to the recommendations made in the employee report that would jump to elected officials’ salaries from $137,537 to $170,588.
According to staff reports, the increase will cost the city nearly $1 million in salary and benefits in 2025.
Councillors Brad Bradford, Alejandra Bravo, Vincent Crisanti, Paula Fletcher, Stephen Holyday, Parthi Kandavel, Frances Nunziata and Gord Perks all voted against the motion.
Coun’s action. Keeping the salary at current levels failed 18-5.
Mayor Olivia Chow, one of the members of parliament who did not vote on Thursday night, had previously said the $33,000 raise was “too high.”
Councillors argued that their final salary was about 20 years ago, adding that they earned much less than those of neighboring municipalities, while providing a larger ward for the streets. Staff report found that Toronto City Councilors had the lowest salary compared to those in neighboring jurisdictions such as Brampton, Mississauga, Markham and Vaughan.
“We should have a raise,” Kuhn. Paula Fletcher said Wednesday. “I’m not sure how many of them are, but for sure, we deserve a raise.”
Mayor Chow recommends a decision on whether a salary increase should be made by a third party, not a councillor, which is an irresponsible move given the affordability crisis that affects many Torontos.
“Given all the tax rate hikes she has done for Toronto people, I do think the mayor appearance and speech committee is very rich, and not everyone has access to three government-funded pensions,” Kuhn said, whom Brad Bradford voted Thursday.
