Raise the Hammer

My question is this: who initiated looking at the pay bands? Did Ms. Chapman or did the Mayor, or did someone else?

Further to that, a 33% raise is spectacular. I think that most people would expect maybe a 3-5% raise, regardless of what their current pay structure is compared to previous people doing a similar job for other people. With all the belt-tightening going on, this is a real head-scratcher.

Maybe it was Whitehead who was leading the charge for a raise for the Pegster?

Never mind the amount of the pay raise, what should raise far more concerns is the mayor's blatant lying about how it happened.

If he had come forward and said "She is doing the work of three people because we decided to go with a smaller staff" an argument could be made. But to lie, shift blame and then backpedal looks pathetic.

If you make a decision you need to take ownership of it, popular or unpopular.

Never mind the amount of the pay raise, what should raise far more concerns is the mayor's blatant lying about how it happened.

Aw, c'mon. Can't we be pissed about the lying and the pay raise? ;)

At $103,500 she would be among the top 10% of income earners in Canada, At $120,000 she is well above that. Is this really a "reasonable" salary for a mayor's Chief of Staff in Hamilton? I'm sure that $30,000 could fund a breakfast program for children in the North end.

Better not say that too loudly or the new Military Consultant might come after me.

Well, at least we're starting to get an idea of outer limits of the Mayor's role as "champion of careful use of taxpayers' money.".

If it's for projects that can have a transformational impact on many Hamiltonians, that's bad (see: WH and LRT).

But if it's only going to benefit his top aide? Well, that's fine!

How anyone at City Hall can stand the stench of this guy is beyond me, though it's heartening to know they're at least considering calling him out on his lie.

It still amazes me that some people risk their credibility defending him...I honestly don't know how they can stomach it.

Also acceptable: if it's only going to benefit someone else named "Bob".

The lying liar lied?

Shocking.

$30,000.00!!!! There are way too many potholes in this City that need to be filled to justify this wanton and careless spending.

Bratina is such a slime ball. I swear, every time I hear him speak, he tells a lie. It's disgusting. I hope they hold him to the fire for this (and future lies).

As to the pay raise, isn't the point of having one person do the job of what 2 people used to do saving money? I know that my friends who work in places where 8 people now do the work of 12 people (1 of several examples) haven't gotten a single penny raise in at least 2 years. In fact, other than a friend who works in a bank, no one I know has gotten a raise in the last two years. It's been 3 for me.

Nevermind the potholes! They don't go to bed hungry. How about the food banks that are struggling to feed all the people who can't find work? That 30,000 dollars would buy a lot of good healthy food for those who can't afford to buy it from the grocery store or the farmer's market!

"At $103,500 she would be among the top 10% of income earners in Canada, At $120,000 she is well above that. Is this really a "reasonable" salary for a mayor's Chief of Staff in Hamilton?"

103,500 minus 30,000 comes out to 73,500$ That to me is a pretty gosh darn nice salary. Wish I had made that much money in a year in my entire life. It would take me 3 years to earn that much money!

I'm tired of seeing the homeless go through recycling bins looking for mostly empty jars of peanut butter that weren't washed out! I'm tired of hearing about people who are freezing their butts off all over Canada for lack of decent housing. Canada is a country that boasts good education, good jobs and good living. Hamilton makes those promises too, but I haven't seen any of it materialize!

I'm tired of the lies, the back pedalling,the story telling, finger pointing, and avoiding issues that need immediate attention.