With austerity talk all around, Toronto councillors will be asked next week to freeze their own salaries this year.
Coun. Case Ootes, who is proposing to hold councillors’ annual salaries at 2008 levels — $96,805 — said politicians need to show leadership as plants close and workers lose their jobs.
“It’s a small sacrifice. It’s really no sacrifice,” said Ootes (Ward 29, Toronto-Danforth). “It would give a message to the public and taxpayers that we take the terrible economic climate seriously.”
Annual cost of living increases for Toronto politicians, always a controversial issue, are to be set Friday after the December consumer price index figures are released.
