Municipal councillors and the Mayor will be paid more this year, at least on paper. 
Councillor Mark Authier says the federal government is now taxing one hundred percent of a councillor’s income, meaning their pay is significantly less than before the change was made.
“Truthfully, I was going to vote against it, I realized four years ago I was making a lot more money than I am today, and I’m still going to be making less than I was four years ago even with this compensation,” Authier explains. “I’m not obviously trying to get rich by this job, I’m not trying to make money, just trying to help out Chatham-Kent and put as much money as I can to different charities.”
The issue was raised because of changes to federal tax laws. Until recently, a third of councillors income was not taxable.
“Now we’re still probably down about $2000 over what we were making last year, but it’s better than what it was,” Authier says.
Before taxes, councillors will now receive $32,000 per year, up from just under $28,000. The Mayor position is now up to $110,000 annually.
