Smaller paycheques on way for Edmonton city councillors next year

Edmonton city councillorswill see a little less in their paychequesin 2017.

Their salaries are tied to the Alberta average weekly earnings index, compiled with information from Statistics Canada.

Between January and October this year, the index showedaverage weekly earnings for Albertans dropped by 2.6 per cent. The actual pay cut for Mayor Don Iveson and councillors is expected to be close to that once a final calculation is made for the whole year.

An independent committee of citizens several years ago decided on council's base pay and the formula for adjusting it each year.

• City council salaries to roll back 2.49% in 2017

Iveson said he's fine with accepting a smaller paycheque.

"Management took a zero per cent pay increase for this year and I think that was really appropriate," he said. "When numbers actually get crunched, and council's compensation on an automatic basis goes down, that will show that we are sharing in that pain."

Coun.Ben Henderson agreed.

"We're certainly not the only ones feeling it," he said. "It should be based on something that's tied into what's happening in the province and I don't have a problem with that."

The Edmonton city clerk's office will make the official announcement of exactly how muchthepay cut will be on Jan.9. The lower amount will kick in during the first pay period in January.

Right now,Iveson makes$177,695 a year, while councillors make $100,873.

One third of that amount is tax-free.

The mayor and councillors are also entitled to a number of benefits, including a vehicle allowance, compensationfor parking, and free transit passes.