WIMMTY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAROH 1, 1089, PAGE LETTR More Opinions about pay increases Further responses to " Wht Is Your Opinion?" on the Whitby Counillors' pay increases: To the editor:- It is with great interest that I have read the varjous opinions expressed over the recently passed mayor and council salary increase. To those not opposed to this "pittance," I say good for you.Hïowever, to those who are opposed, including The Free Press, to either this exhorbitant percentage ( rernember 100 per cent of zero is still zero) or the manner in which the increase was passed, I provide the follow- ing fÃ"od for thought. a) While the position of council i- ls~fc as a pr.in job, there is no docurnented timetable as to either the number of hours worked-or a work schedule. As a resuit, these individuals are "on caîl" 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Have you ever called your Town representative? When? At night? Week en ds? Probably. At a simple calculation at $ 13,000 per year, to be on eall equates to $1.48 per hour. Foir shame! Per- haps firemen shouldn't be paid Unless they are actually at a fire. Perhaps ambulance attendants shouldn't bep aud unless repond- ing to a cal. Isn't this ridicu- Make position ful-'time?. To the editor:. There isn't much left to say concerning the pay raises over politicians gave theniselves recently. With aIl the letters to the editor and editorials in the local papers, one would have to think that these politicians would perhaps be feeling a littie sheepish right now. But then again, when you rend how Borne justi1y these hefty raises, one is led to believe that they have no conscience - just a great ego. Perhaps the time has corne to consider making "councilloring" a full-time position so that these people can put ail their efforts into the job at hand instead of dividing their time into two as is the case of a town councilbor, and three jobs for a regional councillor. Obviously under the present systemi some part of these peoples' obligations is suffering. But the best is yet to corne - these sanie people will probably vote theniselves a hefty raise at the regional level and then raise our taxes to pay for their extravagances. As a inatter of fact, the Whitby council has already doubled the parking fées in sorne areas - probably to try to cover their maise. Perhaps future councillors will be a little more thoughtful and announce their intentions while they are soliciting our votes or Abuse of offioe To tiJ'e Editor: It's a disgrace. If they called an election today none of these people would be re-elected. They knew the pay rate before they offered to ta ke the jobs. They also knew the workload and the effort expected. I'rn sure I won't get 20/ 29 peýr cent of an increase ths year. It's an abuse of office. Four or five per cent would be acceptable. lxBl Whitby Information on transportation of tritiated heavy water Ontario Hydro will hold a public information centre in south Oshawa on the subject of the transportation of tritiated heavy water. The information centre will take place on Wednesday, March 1, frm 1 to 8 p.m. at St. John's Odessa Hall, 31 Bloor St. E. in Oshawa. As requested by Oshawa council, the centre will give residents of Oshawa, particularly those who live close to Hlighway 401, an opportunity to see the steps that Ontario Hydro has taken to ensure safe transportation. perhaps we should be a little more vigilant and ask their intentions before the election. I think Oshawa councillor Shaw expressed it best when she said ý'You shouldn't have run for office if you knew poverty was going to hit you." Albert Knibb Whitby * bus!! To shed some light here, I grew up with a mayor and coun- cillor, Iknow about the 2:30 a.rn. calîs whieh were important to the individuals placing them. I know the attentive response they recexved. b) With regard to the manner in which the increase was handled, this raise is voted upon at the samle time each year. Is there a good month? Someone would always complain, no mat- ter when. Do you know of any business (running the Town of Whitby is a business) that pub- licly announces/asks permission before granting themsleves raises. M embers of boards of directors vote themselves raises. I do flot recaîl ever being asked if this meets with my approval. Remember, we elee these individuals because the majority felt they were capable of doing the job. The salaries paid are, in reality, p eanuts compared to: (i) the w~ork invol ved; (ii) the con- stant public scrutiny; (iii) the abuse which must be absorbed. For $1.48 anl hour, we should con sider oui-sel ves lucky. M.K. 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