King council salaries amongst the lowest in the region

Yorkregion.com
April 10, 2018
Simon Martin

The numbers are in and King Township taxpayers are getting a relative bargain when it comes to mayor and councillor salaries.

The 2017 remuneration and expense report came out at council on April 9 and showed that councillors in King make a little less than other municipalities in York Region.

According to the staff report, Mayor Steve Pellegrini earned $48,163.61 from the township in 2017. Ward 1 Coun. Cleve Mortelliti got $26,968.15, Ward 2 Coun. David Boyd received $26,755.30, Ward 3 Coun. Linda Pabst got $26,826.60, Ward 4 Coun. Bill Cober received $26,755.30, Ward 5 Coun. Debbie Schaefer got $26,612.70 and Ward 6 Coun. Avia Eek got $26,572.04.

Those numbers come in a lot lower than other municipalities in York Region. In East Gwillimbury, councillors earn more than $43,000. In Aurora, councillors get paid $29,000 and the mayor receives $69,000. In Georgina, councillors get paid just over $26,000 and the mayor gets $54,279.

When York University political science professor Robert MacDermid learned the councillor salaries of northern York Region, one thing stood out.

“They are appallingly low,” he said. “I think most voters have no clue what politicians are getting paid.”