In a recent letter (The News, August 16), our well-known former mayor, Paul Reitsma, takes issue with the rather grand salary increases recommended by a committee and accepted by our mayor and council members.
In some respects, however, mayors and councillors of small towns and cities are deserving of above average per hours of service stipends, in that they are, effectively, on the job 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
By that I mean we bump into them at our local supermarkets, drugstores or wherever, and give an earful about taxes — noisy neighbours, summer traffic ... and so on.
That is what our mayor and council go through every day.
On the other hand, the issue here is not the aggravations and hours of work our civic politicians live with, but the manner and the amount of dollar increases they gave themselves.
There are times when inordinate salary increases are justifiable, but right now, sure as hell, is not one of them.
For shame folks.
C. A. O’Leary
Parksville