tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post812784203214218325..comments2024-03-28T04:04:03.006-07:00Comments on Paying attention: MLAs' expense allowance lets almost one-in-four buy second homes in the capitalUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-70385083311119512012014-05-08T08:40:43.981-07:002014-05-08T08:40:43.981-07:00Thanks for your article. Very revealing. Interesti...Thanks for your article. Very revealing. Interesting too considering that the bulk of govt decisions are made in the Vancouver offices. Pete's Viewpointhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500471660604607507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-46707180243007607272014-05-08T08:38:43.873-07:002014-05-08T08:38:43.873-07:00Peter: Sorry, I didn't keep the notes from the...Peter: Sorry, I didn't keep the notes from the column, and things have probably changed. You can go through the MLA disclosure forms online and find the ones who list a Victoria residence in their assets.<br />Cheerspaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11003637352818760817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-67324663239502514772014-05-08T08:30:41.588-07:002014-05-08T08:30:41.588-07:00Which MLA's have a second home in Victoria?Which MLA's have a second home in Victoria? Pete's Viewpointhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07500471660604607507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-68196214794385168302013-01-28T01:24:56.735-08:002013-01-28T01:24:56.735-08:00It's not clear in your article whether the $19...It's not clear in your article whether the $19,000 includes meal expenses. Even so, $19K is more than some of us make in a year. Do they pay tax on that 19K? I'm would guess not. So true that someone on disability is expected to live on less than $12K per year, but an MLA already making a large salary somehow needs that much more money to go to Victoria - for how many days per year? Disgusting. I thought that MLA's salaries and expenses were made public. I thought I saw a listing on the internet a couple of years ago. This type of expense structure definitely needs to be reviewed. I agree with Scotty on Denman that it would appear that this is just a way of giving themselves a raise in a sneaky manner.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01612630496651986169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-42055875053951898602013-01-27T14:26:28.392-08:002013-01-27T14:26:28.392-08:00MLAs feel entitled to these perks which seem inapp...MLAs feel entitled to these perks which seem inappropriate to most taxpayers but perfectly legitimate to Members of the Legislative Assembly. Their thinking goes: other than public service which every MLA claims as his or her prime motivation, remuneration is far too low, considering (they say) the years away from pursuing another career; that's why MLAs qualify for a pension after only a short stint at public service--they need compensation for missing out on private pursuits. Never mind that many MLAs, especially backbenchers, actually do pursue private projects, whether at arm's length or in trust, whilst in office. Fact remains, though, that taxpayers generally feel MLAs are paid too much already so MLAs must be careful when voting themselves pay raises. One way to do that is to include things like living-out allowances; it's a way to thinly conceal part of MLAs' remuneration. It appears underhanded to us taxpayers but MLAs feel unabashedly entitled to it: they'll take the cash in lieu of a house in the pricy Capital City.<br /><br />Plainly they are afraid of discussing their salaries fully and openly because they think taxpayers would demand MLA pay-cuts if they knew the real amount of money MLAs are entitled to. In this MLAs of every stripe are complicit. It therefore falls to people like Paul here to put the issue back into the open where it belongs. Even then the basics of the debate remain the same but there's no real reason to be sneaky about it.Scotty on Denmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-76028294675381409512013-01-25T13:16:11.954-08:002013-01-25T13:16:11.954-08:00Just exactly WHEN are they in the capital?Just exactly WHEN are they in the capital?islandpapahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15140594869126375609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-7788961440874549432013-01-23T16:24:57.059-08:002013-01-23T16:24:57.059-08:00Paul, I love how you kick butt even out of the cou...Paul, I love how you kick butt even out of the country.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-50491954360277931202013-01-23T10:49:44.625-08:002013-01-23T10:49:44.625-08:00This is a brilliant post. Thank you for such an th...This is a brilliant post. Thank you for such an thoughtful and informative look at this particular aspect regarding politicians. Sharing. Laila Yuilehttp://www.lailayuile.comnoreply@blogger.com