VANCOUVER: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) said today the moderation in senior bureaucrat pay increases is more a reflection of the upcoming election, rather than a rethink of taxpayers ability to fund an ever expanding, highly paid bureaucracy.

The Campbell government announced today average salaries for deputy ministers will go up by more than 7%, and by 21% for assistant deputy ministers. The deputy minister for the premier will not take a pay increase at this time.

"With the provincial election closing in, this government has backed down from the possibility of outrageous increases implicit in the announcement last August," said Maureen Bader, BC Director, CTF. "Nonetheless, although a drop from 35% to 7% for deputy ministers may be big, assistant deputy minister salaries went up as expected and the overall increase remains high -- far above what most people paying those salaries could themselves expect. Moreover, the government is setting a very costly bar for public sector wage negotiations."

The average salary for deputy ministers will rise to $217,758 and to $157,608 for assistant deputy ministers. The government says it needs to offer high salaries to attract qualified senior professionals. The average salary in B.C. is $38,888 and rose by 3% between 2006 and 2007.

"Our governing class is losing touch with the ability of taxpayers to fund these pay increases," continued Bader. "The high pay is only part of the bill -- let's not forget the pension liability these higher salaries will create for our children and grandchildren."