Calgary: PC MLAs on the Member Services Committee (MSC) voted today to double their retirement benefits and move from a $1-for-$1 taxpayer-to-MLA contribution ratio to $4.6-to-$1. Taxpayer contributions to an MLA’s retirement plan will be doubled from the current $11,150 to $22,300 a year.
PC Whip, Steve Young introduced the motion at a meeting of the MSC this morning after retracting an earlier motion to double RRSPs for MLAs and reinstitute transition allowances.
Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Alberta Director, Derek Fildebrandt monitored the meeting, “After being whipped into a disorganized retreat over their earlier attempt to reinstitute severance payouts and double their RRSPs, the PCs came back for another round. Steve Young’s plan put forward today was simply a more complicated version of his wildly unpopular plan to double taxpayers’ contribution to MLA retirement benefits.”
While Young’s rescinded motion called for a plain doubling of taxpayers’ contributions to MLA retirement benefits to $22,000, his motion today called for a base taxpayer contribution of $17,400 and an extra $4,900 if MLAs make an equal contribution of $4,900.
“They might believe that they are being sly by clouding the math, but taxpayers can see through this: government MLAs voted to double their retirement plans. Period.” said Fildebrandt.
PC MLAs argued that since severance payouts have been scrapped – despite efforts to revive them at the last meeting – MLAs were taking an overall pay cut.
In response, Fildebrandt stated, “Premier Redford promised to scrap severance payouts, she did not promise to scrap severance payouts and then double retirement benefits to compensate.
The PC motion will become law without debate in the legislature
Concluded Fildebrandt, “Tory MLAs and the premier need to stand up and be counted on whether or not they support doubling their retirement benefits.
The CTF is going to fight this every step of the way. “
PC and NDP MLAs also voted against a Wildrose motion to put off any increase in pay and retirement benefits until the budget is balanced.
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