Citizens' task force will review pay for regionai councillors The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, January 28, 2003-9 AiWinter Resale I (Sale will be ending soon!) By JASON MISNER The Champion Halton regional council's salaries will be put under the microscope for the first time in about seven years. A citizens' task force, expccted to be formed Within a month, will decide what the salary of the regional chair and a regional councillor hould be. Currently, the chair eas $76,000 annu- ally, and a counicillor more than $21 ,600. Council must vote on salary changes. Halton Region CEO Brent Marshall will lead the way in determinmng what the task force will look like and what the criteria will be. He will consult with the four municipalities to corne up with a list of cit- izens. Burlington and Halton Hilîs, for cxam- pie, have gone through a pay review, called remuneration, and Mr. Marshall wants su get input to ensure consistcncy. Regional council voted unanimously Wednesday in favour of the task force. The decision to create it came after counicillors voted to keep their salaries one-third tax free at its December 11I counicil meeting. Potential salary changes would be in place for the upcoming term since munici- pal elections will be held this November. Regional Chairman Joyce Savoline said it's a good ime to review council'H pay and it needs to involve the public. She didn't want to comment on the issue of pay and risk prejudicing the task force. But she said regional council's worload bas increased over the last few years. Ms Savolmne said council is dealing with a lot of complex enviromnental, growth and transportation issues, for example. "There are a lot of things happening now," she said. Oakville Mayor Ann Mulvale said she agrees that a salary review of politicians needs public input. She satd "fair representation" is essential for the task force to work properly. "inember-at-large" for lits Speeili Educatton Advisory Comumittee (SIfACI. rhe Comnittete. an advisorv geuup ta the Hoard, wili brng foewaedinfionnratiinandinccutnmendations regaeding prognaanser cnes forexeptionai papis Iwo lrusteeand 12 nener represening local assci ationse aisa serve on SI AC The tnenh tib age"mutiiie the bllminL qualifications: a atacadian ctizenoi lite age cf 18 ycars oreaider a resideni cetiluii ronce i altan DistitcbelBoardand * a public shoul supporter AHuarde.mphîî cte trat cbliilefa, aptointinent. Inteceseetlcomtnettttv tttetnbene etotld settimat iieir applicatin eu eme) wt a letter indcatng wbat Oe.ty Papire, tOtectte cf Educatîitn Haltan Dîistrct Sehaci Hard 2050 GuaelphirLte. PO Han 5105 Bulitngton, Ontrino LUR M2 Thre dadltncfîtra0tpiitanu <ràFrtava. Januay t1. 2003 Ethel Gardiner Duetv Papke, Ed. Chair jlhe Board IU DitcctornofEducaticn "'M'at is the real key," she said. Regional counicil salaries vary in Ontario. In Peel Region, the chair earns mure than $132000 per year and council- lors more than $40,000, but it's all 100 per cent taxable. Accordmng to the provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, there are approxinately 30 municipalities in Ontario that have a regional govemnment structure, commonly called a two-tiered system. Some of those regions include York, Peel, Durham, Waterloo, Muskoka, Niagara and Oxford. Needed -AUlBaby Equipment (gaies, car meats, booster meats etc.) 36 MainS.E . NO FINEP aOo'lBRAND NEW DODGE CARAVAN SE CANADA'S BEST SELLUNG VEHICLE t /W0AJOMAflC OVERDRIE TRANSMISSION ! AIR CONDITONING i1r7 PASSENGER SEA11NG 1>ise! $FLOORMATS fFRONT & REAR INTERMfTNT WIPERS q/i DUAL SLIDING DOORS We'& eVe ~ AND MUCHf MORE 504q/ 7YEAR / 115KM POWERTRAIN WARRANTY b~ WrIT ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE l'l 81,600 KMS FOR THE TERM q NO SECURITY DEPOSIT ~7/ e <ope Fiiu aD t mienmb& .Iuii emàmm Task force will be made up of citizens from across the region, and is expected to be put together within a month - I 'A VOTED VOTED !M First milton's GUARANTEED Mil VF grs First choice choice Auto EVERY DAY Auto Dealer GREAT SERVICE & GREAT PRICES Dealer ,MI.LT,,OjN, CHRYSLER,,,,,