Updated: Mon Jan. 23 2012 19:02:27

ctvcalgary.ca

Mayor Naheed Nenshi has said that he will donate ten percent of his annual paycheque, approximately $20,000, to the city or charities doing work in Calgary.

Nenshi made the announcement on Monday morning before going into meetings at City Hall.

Councillor Andre Chabot tried to tie the raises to the increase in the Consumer Price Index but the motion failed.

Chabot was looking to have the annual wage increase lowered from 5.35 percent down to 3 percent and says the number more adequately reflects local salary increases.

Councillors voted to accept the 5.35 percent pay raises and will now earn an annual salary of $107,000.

The new salaries will make them the third highest paid councillors in the country.

The Mayor will now earn $201,800, making him the highest paid mayor in Canada.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi says he is not comfortable with the compensation so he is donating 10 percent.

"It really is a drop in the bucket in a three billion dollar budget, where perhaps it could have more impact with an organization that is doing real grass roots works in the community," said Mayor Nenshi.

Councillors Chabot and Farrell say they will follow the Mayor's lead and also donate part of their salaries.

The salary increases are tied to the average weekly earnings of Albertans.

"We feel that the average weekly wage index is more directly representative of what is happening in Alberta and as a link, or as a determinant of what council should use, we think is more appropriate than just cost of living," said Ross McDougall from the Compensation Committee.

Council did look into giving the increases back to the city but were advised that it would be difficult unless they all agreed to the same salary cut.

Comments are now closed for this story

Nicole
Wow, a lot of these comments are from real naysayers. Someone gives $20,000 to charity and you've got nothing nice to say? I cannot remember the last time I knew someone who donated 10% of their wage to charity. Good on him. I will vote for him next time. And for those who think what he's doing is so utterly despicable ("media-freak, self-focused"), I would challenge you to donate 10% of your wages to charity and see what kind of reaction you get from those around you. Hopefully it isn't the same kind of negativity you're feeding into the world right now. I don't really care about his motivations. What he did was a good thing and I recognize it.

Rob
When considering the salary that Mayor Nenshi is receiving it is also important to consider the high quality of work and attention the mayor is dedicating to Calgary citizens. Although extremely generous in nature, I don't feel the mayor should return his salary. I think the citizens of Calgary are getting a very good return on their investment! He has been very attentive to city budget and constantly evaluating service delivery with an eye on efficiency and cost. He has already return money to citizens by finding these opportunities.

Rick
Really people, this city has such low protery taxes you should all be happy, regardless of a tax increase this year, try living in Cochrane, you'd all be crying like the babies you are, suck it up. You want to own your homes, well it's the cost off owning, sell and rent then, and you'll go through less kleenex I bet.

Donna SE Calgary
Kudos to the people who support what our mayor has done!

Jessica
Why are people so angry at Nenshi? He's donating money, which is great! We should be looking at the positives rather then the negatives. If you're angry at how much this city is to live in, then don't live in this city. It's an oil industry province, we're so well off compared to lots of places around the world. We get what we pay for, and we get it really good. :)

jerry
Jay I totally agree with you. All those who voted for him must be so proud of themselves.
What exactly has this mayor and alderman done for Calgary since being put into power, let me see nothing.
I can not wait for the next election things like this makes me think it is time for a change and a big one at that.
I am so sick and tired of these clowns the first thing they do is give themselves raises, then they do nothing.
I sure would like to know how they can look at themselves in the mirror everyday.

Angela
Gee, why am I not surprised? Why doesn't Nenshi refuse the raise AND still donate to charity (quietly of course). He's taking our taxes and putting some into his own pocket. How about not raising our taxes?? I certainly don't receive a wage increase of over 5%, but I did receive a property tax increase of 5%. How does that work??

Karen
CalgarySandy, where do you think his salary comes from? You say he earns it. Where does the money come from? It comes from the tax payers. There is no 'magic fund' at City Hall that pays for Nenshi. It's tax payer money, and he receives way too much of it in my opinion. I did not vote for him and I certainly hope those who did are kicking their butts now. Please vote responsibly! People should have to pass some sort of a test before they can vote.

Cat
I think everyone on the council should take a 10% or more decrease in thier wage in stead.....

Jay
Wow, he is such a media-freak. Everyone should donate at least 10% as a standard, and many Christians do. But most people do not go out and proclaim it in the media, and act like they invented a great new idea. I am so tired of hearing about this guy, and all of the things he does to pat himself on the back. Turn down a raise, that would be note-worthy. This guy is so self-focused. Instead of quietly just donating, he makes it about him. Wow, he is into advertising alright - advertising himself, over and over again. I will never ever vote for him, and can't wait till he is voted out.

RJ
Calgary has a mayor with a compassionate heart. What a breath of fresh air on the political scene. I wish every elected official that call themselves conservative was as considerate of taxpayers money!!!!

CalgarySandy
Good for him. His salary is not tax payers money. It is money he earns.If he spends it on dinner will you say he should have gone hungry? He is the best mayor we have ever had. It is a shame that Calgary has turned into a right wing city. It was not that way when I was young.

Scotty
I am glad to hear he is going to donate 10% considering he makes THE MOST money out of ALL mayors in Canada. Personally I don't think the Mayor, or at least Nenshi, deserve to be paid that much. The more you get paid the More we should expect GREAT things from you. Unfortunately this just is not the case with Calgary.

look at the Mayor in Edmonton, he's refused the last two pay increase offers and I am fairly sure he donates money as well.

Sergy
In theory, I agree with the idea of paying well to get good people. In practice, it's clearly not working.

k.c.
My employer just raised the charge-out rate to clients by $5 an hour. Do you know how much of a pay increase I received? $0! Nothing... I haven't had an increase in wage for three years. How is that fair? Maybe the government should set and enforce the same types of wage increases they mandate for themselves.

corrine gout
every one in local , provincial and federal give them selves healthy increases. what about seniors and low income earners.our pensions do do not get any increases.

darlene
Ronald you have got to be kidding me. This mayor NEVER once has listened to the citizens of Calgary if he had they would not be getting ANY kind of raise.
This mayor and aldermen have done NOTHING!!!
I never vote for this mayor and I NEVER will.
This mayor and aldermen are ONLY in it for the money they steal from us citizens. 20,000 is like 20 cents to this administration. What a joke!!!

Mike Calgary
Until next year, when they do it again.

As they did last year, and years before.

They continue to over pay themselves, and this is what we know about.

The goings on at city hall, coming to a Cineplex near you - GONG !

Peter
Giving taxpayers money away is wrong. Better he should just refuse to take that amount. IF we wanted to donate taxpayers money to a charity - well that is wrong too.
Just keep your money Mr. nenshi, after the next election you'll need it because you'll be out of a job!!

TLC
This is me, rolling my eyes. This mayor never had my vote, and won't. When will we have a leader that does what is best for the majority, not themselves?

Angry Mike the Calgarian
How about leaving it where it is and put towards taxes??? Wait did they do this in the past??How dumb do we the tax payers look. Make it sound good, but the big thing is who's going to replace it in other fees or tax the city comes up with – Us the tax payers, give it to me and I'll donate it !

Pippa Martins-St. Onge
Great initiative on behalf of Mayor Nenshi. What Calgarians really want to see is some modicum of Fiscal restraint coming out of City Hall. Calgarians also deserve a forensic audit of City spending under Dave Bronconnier and an arms length semi-judicial investigation of Bronconnier's private business activities during his terms as Mayor and Alderman.

akm
i wish he would stop all this sillyness and get on with running the city he has not done a thing about revamping siily hall and done nothing to get rid of of the bronco illness that is stil rampent at silly hall ???

Denise
Whether the money is given to charity or whether the mayor keeps the money, that is not the point. The point is that the money comes from the taxpayer, it is an inappropriate raise given the current climate and NO council members should be receiving a raise at this time. If Nenshi wants to put his money where his mouth is, perhaps he should simply return the raise, or at the very least, get that "audit" he promised underway!!!

ROnald
This mayor is changing how every major should be! He is supporting and listening to the citizens...

Impressed
Yes Gary, committed christians are supposed to give 10%.
Unfortunately many don't.
Dont Judge him for what he has done. Judge not, you dont see what was in his heart.
Yes he is publicly making a statement, one that sets a standard for others to follow.
I say wonderful.
Wish many others would follow that example.

WHo's walking the Dog
Hello left hand this is your right hand, i was wondering if you can give me more money? well right hand sure why not, it's not like it is coming out of my pocket, just the poor working class of the city. If this was the way everyone got raises, there would be no money left in the world. Come on city council, take it to a vote from the voters(the poeple you work for) to see why and how much of a raise you actually deserve!

Elizabeth
This act still will not get my vote. He is Bronco in a purple suit. At least he NEVER had my vote.

CarlM
Kudos to him for doing this, as noted by others, many people do this already without the publicity.

The problem remains as to why politicians should get more of a raise than the rank and file city workers?

Garry
Committed Christian give 10% of thier pay as a tithe to the Church. The mayor is a Muslim. He is doing nothing special but only advertising something he should have been doing all along. It is obviously being used to gain greater favor from the voting people. He does not have my vote.

Joe
Better yet he should just reject the pay increase. The next mayor may not be so generous and these compounding pay increases can get out of hand.

I would imagine only oil industry people and gasoline retailers will get anything near that much of a pay increase this year. Well, maybe the people who run parking lots in downtown Calgary.

albertian
It makes a lot of sence raise taxes an give it to charity. How stupid is that ? maby dont raise taxes an no raise for the aldermen ! Du

Dave
Sure the donation sparks a tax credit, but it's not like this is a "greedy" act. Learn something about numbers and taxes people. No one gives $20K just to get $4K back.

However, I will not be impressed until all park and ride parking is free and the city stops trying to find other clever ways to get the $3 parking revenue back...

Donna
To the people who are whining about tax receipts... the break you get is so little I can assure you no one gives to charity for a lame tax receipt. Makes me wonder if you've ever made donations.

My donations have been substantial with very little help from the tax man, it's not the reason for donating.

g2
How about giving the tax payer that chance to donate their own money rather than assuming that's what we want with your over payment in wages. Our taxes are going up, i'd prefer the money was given back to the tax payer and let us determine where the money should go.

Rich
Personaly, I would be a lot happier if he kept his money and instead called the independent audit that he promised when he was campaigning for election.

bobby ray
nice gesture! It says a lot about his personality!

Wayne Bell
Mayor Nenshi has set an example the the rest would serve well to follow. Way to go Mayor.

GordoYYC
Wow, Atta Boy, N!

Gordon
Well good for him. I MEAN REALLY. how many of us will get a 5.35% raise.

JSB
How very altruistic of His Worship to donate the 10%...of course he won't be accepting the income tax receipt for it.

But taking from one person's pocket to put in another's doesn't make sense to me. City council shouldn't be getting the addtional money to begin with.

We taxpayers WILL remember council's attitude/behaviour come next election.

JD
I have to say the mayor donating 10% of his salary shows some good leadership and fiscal responsibility. I am very impressed.

Aldermen should take a close look at voting a reduced raise in, it would speak volumes.

Bob in Calgary
Congratulations to the Mayor
Now if the rest woulod do the same thing, we might get back on track

Wendy Cathcart
Good for you Mr. Mayor

Debbie - Calgary
While it is great he is "donating" part of his salary, it will probably be a tax deduction for him in the end.

They should have their salaries lowered to something more in tune with other Canadian cities of the same size.

Milton
He better be giving that back to the TaxPayer - not the City and not Charities. We pay his salary and I want my money back.

And he's out to lunch if he figures everyone in the Private Sector is getting 3% raise annually.