Whichever political party wins the upcoming election - either Ernie Eves' governing Conservatives or Dalton McGuinty's Opposition Liberals - there will be tough spending decisions needed to keep the provincial budget balanced. But if a round of belt-tightening is required on the part of our government, why is talk of even modest restraint for our elected officials not part of the debate

After the election - expected sometime this fall - Ontario's 103 Members of Provincial Parliament will return to work and be rewarded with a 25% pay raise. They currently earn a respectable $85,240 a year and their salary is scheduled to jump to $106,550 immediately after the election. This boost will put MPPs in the top 3% of Ontario's income earners. If our politicians accept such an excessive pay raise it will offer more proof that they are out of touch with voters.

The men and women elected to establish regulations and pass our laws would like voters to believe they are unable to stop the pay increase since it was proposed by Ontario's integrity commissioner. With a wink and a nudge they say it is wrong to second-guess the "independent" findings. Never mind that a truly accountable politician would not fleece the taxpayer simply because a commission suggests it.

Regardless how the pay for politicians is set it should be in line with the public's expectations. That may require a pay level less than what elected officials want or believe they deserve.

MPPs complain they are underpaid and are not properly compensated for their hard work. They have forgotten that holding public office is not meant to be lucrative. After all, nobody is forced to run for office, and public service is, in part anyway, intended to be its own reward. It is certainly not intended to jettison the "peoples' servants" into the highest income echelons.

Ontario's 103 MPPs were happy to have been elected in 1999 at an annual salary of $78,000. If their pay had remained fixed since the last election a modest raise would be in order. But they received a salary increase of almost 10%. An additional 25% hike on top of that - for an eye-popping total of 35% - is a gross insult to all taxpayers.

Talk of such a raise is also galling since it comes from legislators who have set $65,000 to be the threshold for Ontario's top tax rate and the high-income surtax. How can MPPs say that the top tax rate targets "the well-off" while at the same time concluding that they are poorly paid

It is hoped the upcoming election focuses the minds of MPPs about how much taxpayers are willing to tolerate. Ontario normally negotiates pay deals giving staff raises of 8% to 12% over three and four years. And in good economic times private sector wage growth is 3% to 5% a year, but in today's uncertain economic climate pay decreases are not unusual. MPP pay should be no different.

Voters have the ability to deny lawmakers an undeserved pay hike. But they require a political leader willing to protect their pocketbooks. Is there one on offer in either party Or are these rascals hoping to quietly slip a 25% pay raise past taxpayers This issue will be a good test for both Messrs. Eves and McGuinty as voters consider who is the better friend to taxpayers.