The Editor,
Re. “Metro vote gives $$ to pols” (The Tri-City News, March 28).
A letter to mayors Richard Stewart (Coquitlam), Greg Moore (Port Coquitlam) and Mike Clay (Port Moody):
I’m appalled and angry that the Metro Vancouver board of directors, on which you serve, voted in favour of giving its members a retirement benefit of $1,100 per every year served on the board retroactive to 2007 in addition to a salary increase of 15% (to cover the federal government’s removal of a one-third tax allowance for elected officials).
I’ve never heard of any board or any director/senior manager of a private or publicly traded company every giving themselves a retroactive benefit of more than 10 years.
It must be nice to be able to vote for your own increases and benefits.
The Metro board’s actions are shameful and greedy, with no respect for your constituents who have put their trust in you and expect that you will do your best for them rather than just another hit to their already high property taxes they already pay.
The three of you are already well paid by your cities and additionally for attending Metro board meetings. Not to pick on you, Mayor Moore, don’t you now make $95,000 as Metro Vancouver board chair — a third of that tax free — in addition to more than $90,000 as mayor of PoCo? You’ve done well since becoming mayor, haven’t you? And world travel to boot.
I grew up in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam and have lived in the Tri-Cities for more than 60 years, other than when employment took me away from this area.
My parents were PoCo pioneers with an uncle serving on city council for 30 years, receiving not much more than a small stipend for the thousands of hours he put in to serve his community.
Last Friday’s Metro vote is the worst case of self serving I can recall by those in whom we put our trust. While I don’t consider myself well-connected, I still know enough people that if I stay angry, I should be able to rally enough people to make things difficult come the next election.
In summary, your recent actions of greediness, lack of transparency and disrespect for your constituents are shameful and reprehensible.
Murray Clare, Coquitlam
