Toronto Star wrote:Ontario MPPs won't have to worry how to pay their Christmas bills after voting themselves a 25-per-cent raise yesterday, boosting salaries for backbenchers by $22,000 a year to $110,775.
The increase – about $423 a week before taxes and other deductions – takes effect immediately, with Premier Dalton McGuinty enjoying an extra $750 weekly as his paycheque jumps $39,000 to $198,620 annually.
By comparison, the governor of New York state is paid $179,000 (U.S.) and state legislators $79,500. In Michigan, the governor's salary is $172,000 while legislators make $79,650.
McGuinty, a father of four – including three sons still in university – said he hasn't decided how to spend his raise yet.
"I'm going to leave that final decision to the boss of my household," he quipped, referring to his wife, Terri.
The vote – with 77 Liberal and Progressive Conservative MPPs in favour of the raise and seven New Democrats against – was the MPPs' last official business before belatedly beginning a holiday break that was supposed to start last Thursday.
"It's the height of arrogance, it's the height of greed, it's the height of avarice," NDP House leader Peter Kormos said of the raise.
The Legislature, which sat for 105 days this year, resumes March 19, although committees of MPPs will meet to study legislation starting in January.
New Democrats forced their fellow MPPs to work overtime this week by opposing the bill that ties their pay to 75 per cent of what MPs make in Ottawa – following warnings from Ontario's integrity commissioner that the Legislature was at risk of becoming a "farm team."
Labour Minister Steve Peters – who along with other cabinet ministers will see his pay go up $596 a week or $31,000 annually to $157,633 – mocked the NDP by briefly donning a felt "Bah humbug" hat before the vote.
But it's Liberals and Conservatives who'll be sorry when the NDP makes the raise a key issue in the campaign leading up to the provincial election next Oct. 4, New Democrats vowed.
Expectations of a slowing economy due to less growth in the United States are going to keep MPP raises and the need for a higher minimum wage and other social safety nets high in the public mind, New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton said.
"Workers in my hometown (Fort Frances) are right now getting ready to vote on a proposal which will actually cut their wages. We've seen the same thing happening in the steel sector. Even the auto sector," Hampton said.
But not all New Democrats appeared on side with their leader, with MPPs Rosario Marchese (Trinity-Spadina) and Gilles Bisson (Timmins-James Bay) absent from yesterday's vote. Both privately favoured the increase.
Hampton and several of his MPPs committed to give their raises to charity, although they could have opted out of the wage increase under terms of the bill.
Hampton said he will keep giving the raise to charity after the next election.
well i wouldn't mind a 25% wage increase .. why ? because it's fair ...
i don't want to be classified as farm team player either.
@sshats ....
I wouldn't want that job for $110K. They can have their raise. And to be the premier for under
$200K - F# that as well. Any job that keeps youout of your home that much of the year has to
pay, or the handful of decent politicians wouldn't want to do it. Then we'd hit 100% douchebag
politicians, and we're close enough to that already.
I dont see anything wrong with it, at all.
maybe it's just me weighing the issue poorly, but 25% ! c'mon that's a lil steep to
swallow. and yes they do like being away from home, obviously , otherwise they wouldn't take the job in the first place. look at some of there traveling expendatures . sucks to be
an MPP when your skin is like teflon and your tounge is forked . yep
give em a well earned raise for baffling the masses with B.S. .
Hadn't it been some 15 or 20 years since they're last raise?
Is it right that MPs get way more money than MPPs? After-all, anyone who has actually read our constitution would know that provicial responsibilties greatly out weigh fedual.
No, I don't favour the fat cats, buit I also don't want the good guys jumping ship because they can make more with the feds, or in private business.
Money should not be an attractant to the job, but it also should not be a deterrent.
PAX
Ottawa city councillors made more than MPP's, I don't have a big problem with MPP's making more (Hahahaha's right, it was over 18 years since they last had a pay raise), but I have a REALLY big problem with the fact that the Ottawa Councillors are facing a budget shortfall of about 10 Million, a massive f**kup of light-rail project (thanks Mr. Bored Millionaire Mayor), and they decide to congratulate themselves by appropriating a 13%-17% (councillors - Mayor) pay upgrade. Bastards.
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.
