Questions and Answers I

When I first announced I was running for city council, a release of my candidacy was printed in the BayToday newsletter. Beneath my release, in the comment section, one of BayToday's readers left me a list of questoins. The questions were more than pertinent, so I chose to answer them in my first campaign blog post to get the ball rolling.

Do you support motions to increase the Mayor's salary?

I do not support arbitrary, unvetted salary increases for the Mayor or Council. At a time when North Bay residents are facing intense cost-of-living pressures and cumulative financial stress, any adjustment to politician pay must be handled with absolute transparency, not political maneuvering.

If we are serious about addressing council compensation to attract qualified, diverse talent for the future, it cannot happen through a sudden motion on the floor. It belongs in a fully independent, third-party compensation review that looks at the whole ecosystem—salaries, benefits, and perks compared to similar northern hubs.

That data must be made entirely public so residents can see the math.  Until that level of independent, transparent analysis happens, my vote is a definitive no. Our immediate priority must remain focused on municipal infrastructure, community health, and relief for the taxpayers of North Bay.

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